Lithuania needs embassy in Beijing - foreign minister

VILNIUS - Lithuania needs an embassy in China, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said.

"We have to have our embassy in Beijing, we want China to have their embassy," he told reporters after meeting with his Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna in Tallinn on Friday. "My interest is to normalize the relations to the point that we can interact as it is described in different conventions, diplomatic treaties and as part of international traditions of diplomatic relations."

Lithuania's relations with China soured in 2021 after the opening of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius. In response, Beijing downgraded diplomatic ties with Vilnius and imposed trade restrictions.

Taipei's representative office was named "Taiwanese" in Lithuanian and English, but the Chinese version uses the name "Taiwan".

Beijing, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory, accused Vilnius of "seriously violating the one-China principle".

Budrys says it was not Lithuania's actions that caused bilateral relation problems.

"From our side, I don't feel like we created these circumstances," Lithuania's top diplomat said. " Lithuania's China policy is neither old nor new, we continue to expand our relations in the Indo-Pacific region and we see it as an alternative of developing relations with the countries that respect democracy, respect the rule of law, respect business conduct, and are not delivering different types of threats that can be implemented through dependencies."

In November, Lithuania declared three non-accredited staff members of the Chinese mission as personae non gratae and unacceptable in Lithuania for actions violating the Vienna Convention and Lithuanian legislation.

"We cannot ignore (...) China's assistance to Russia's military industrial complex and (…) the other economic and other measures against Lithuania after our decision to open the Taiwanese office," the Lithuanian foreign minister said.

A US Pentagon report released in December stated that China has strengthened its ties with Russia over the past year. It says that China is supporting the Russian war against Ukraine and has sold Russia dual-use goods Moscow's military industry depends on. Such dual-use goods can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has said that re-establishing Lithuania's relations with China will be difficult. He and President Gitanas Nauseda are in favor of normalizing relations with China.

Budrys is visiting Estonia on Friday after his visit to Latvia. He will also meet with Estonian President Alar Karis in Tallinn, and on Saturday he will attend the funeral of former Estonian President Arnold Ruutel.