China said it is willing to resume talks with Lithuania after Lithuania's prime minister called the country's 2021 decision to host a Taiwan representative office a "mistake." Beijing urged Vilnius to turn its stated readiness to improve relations into concrete actions, after ties were downgraded and sanctions were imposed. Lithuania has recalled diplomats and expelled Chinese staff, while Taiwan and Lithuania say they will continue to strengthen cooperation.
China Open To Talks After Lithuania's PM Calls 2021 Taiwan Office Move A "Mistake"
FILE PHOTO: Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene speaks during a news conference in Riga, Latvia December 12, 2025. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/File Photo
China said on Friday it is open to restoring dialogue with Lithuania after the Baltic nation's prime minister described Vilnius' 2021 decision to allow a Taiwan representative office as a "mistake." The comments signal a possible thaw in relations that have been strained since Beijing downgraded ties in response to the move.
Inga Ruginiene, who became Lithuania's prime minister in September, told Baltic News Service that her government had begun taking "small first steps" toward mending relations with China. The change in tone prompted an immediate response from Beijing.
"The door for communication between China and Lithuania remains open," Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said at a regular news briefing. He added that China hopes Lithuania will "translate its willingness to improve bilateral relations into concrete actions, and promptly rectify its error."
The diplomatic rift dates to late 2021, when Lithuania — a country of roughly 2.9 million people — allowed what Beijing regarded as a de facto Taiwanese embassy to open in Vilnius. China objects to such offices when their names imply statehood for Taiwan, which Beijing considers a Chinese province.
By contrast, many countries maintain unofficial ties with Taiwan through offices typically named "Taipei" representative offices, a convention that avoids implying sovereignty. Lithuania's decision to use a different name in 2021 provoked a strong Chinese response.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian attends a press conference in Beijing, China April 10, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Since the downgrade, Vilnius recalled its ambassador to China and other diplomats. In late 2024, Lithuania also expelled three Chinese diplomats who were serving at China's Office of the Charge d'Affaires in Vilnius. In addition, Chinese authorities last year barred two Lithuanian banks — UAB Urbo Bankas and AB Mano Bankas — from conducting transactions or cooperating with Chinese organisations and individuals.
Ruginiene told the news service she believed Lithuania "really jumped in front of a train and lost," reflecting her view that the earlier decision carried heavy political and economic costs.
Taiwan's foreign ministry said both Taipei and Vilnius remain important partners that share democratic values, and confirmed the two sides had agreed on the office's name. "Since the office was established, Taiwan and the Lithuanian government have continued to promote mutually beneficial, substantive cooperation," the ministry said, adding that Taipei would keep close coordination with Vilnius to deepen ties.
What This Could Mean
If talks resume and Lithuania follows through with tangible steps, the move could ease economic pressures on Vilnius and open channels for dialogue on practical issues. However, Beijing has made clear it expects concrete actions rather than words alone.
Reporting by Joe Cash in Beijing and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Edwina Gibbs and Clarence Fernandez.
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