Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday pushed back against suggestions that Vilnius is distancing itself from Taipei, insisting that bilateral cooperation remains on track despite a pause in trade negotiations and mounting signals that Lithuania is moving to repair its fractured relationship with Beijing.
Ministry spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei, speaking at a regular press briefing on June 23, said Taiwan and Lithuania continue to communicate closely on their joint economic cooperation action plan, and that Taipei's commitment to deepening ties with Vilnius "remains unchanged."
Cabinet Reshuffle Stalls Trade Deal, Not A Policy Shift
The two sides had been negotiating an economic cooperation action plan — a document outlining priority areas for bilateral trade and investment — that was originally expected to be finalized by late May and signed in early June. Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT, citing the Baltic News Service, reported on June 22 that the talks had been suspended by mutual agreement.
According to Taiwan's Foreign Ministry, the pause came at Lithuania's initiative. Vilnius asked Taipei to hold off until a new government is in place, and Taiwan agreed. The Social Democratic Party announced a cabinet reshuffle and signed a coalition agreement on June 18 with the Democratic Union "For Lithuania" and the Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union. Party chairman Mindaugas Sinkevicius is set to become the new prime minister.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has indicated that current Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys's future in the role will depend on his performance — including progress in negotiations with China and results in advancing economic cooperation with Taiwan.
Beijing Presses Vilnius To "Correct Its Mistakes"
The diplomatic backdrop has grown more complicated. Reports have emerged that Lithuania has agreed to allow China to establish a temporary chargé d'affaires office in Vilnius — a step that would partially restore diplomatic representation Beijing lost after the two countries' relationship deteriorated in 2021.
That rupture was triggered when Lithuania permitted Taiwan to open a representative office under the name "Taiwan Representative Office" — a designation Beijing objected to as implying statehood. China downgraded ties to the chargé d'affaires level and subsequently ceased sending diplomats to Lithuania altogether; no Chinese diplomatic personnel have been present in the country since May last year.
On June 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun publicly urged Lithuania to "take action as soon as possible and resolutely correct its mistakes." Neither Beijing nor Vilnius has officially confirmed the reported agreement on the temporary office. Remigijus Motuzas, chair of Lithuania's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, had earlier disclosed that Lithuania had given the green light for the arrangement.
Hsiao said Taiwan's representative office in Vilnius has helped fuel growing exchanges between the two governments and their citizens, and that the partnership has delivered concrete economic benefits while strengthening democratic resilience on both sides.
"Taiwan and Lithuania have become close partners on the basis of shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights," Hsiao said. He added that Taiwan will continue deepening cooperation with Lithuania and other like-minded countries, advancing mutually beneficial relations grounded in mutual respect, and jointly upholding a rules-based international order to promote peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific and Europe. （Related： Taiwan FM Meets New Lithuanian Envoy, Targets Semiconductors, AI, Green Energy and Drones ｜ Latest ）
