A.Skaisgirytė says that Lithuania and China can return ambassadors to office
According to her, this may be the first step in resolving the crisis in relations between the two countries, why Lithuania’s developing relations with Taiwan.
“Returning the ambassador to his post would be the first friendly sign,” the head of the president’s foreign policy group told LRT radio in a quarterly interview.
Following the deterioration of Lithuanian-Chinese relations, Beijing recalled its ambassador for consultations in August and instructed Lithuania to do so.
According to A.Skaisgirytė, the Chinese Embassy in Vilnius and the Lithuanian Embassy in Beijing continue to function, but cannot work to the full extent.
The turning point in Lithuanian-Chinese relations was Vilnius’ decision to allow Taiwan to open a trade representative office in its name.
China sees Taiwan as a stirring province and wants to isolate it from international ties.
Elsewhere in the world, Taiwanese missions are acting on behalf of Taipei, with an international consensus that the name does not run counter to the “one China” policy of preventing Taiwan from being treated as a separate state.
According to A. Skakaisgirytė, in resolving the crisis, “we still need to talk not only with Taiwan, we also need to talk with the People’s Republic of China”.
On the other hand, according to her, “even such a world power as the People’s Republic of China will continue to dictate to Lithuania, with whom to make friends and what representations to establish.”
We should still talk not only to Taiwan, we also need to talk to the People’s Republic of China.
According to the President’s advisers, Lithuania will continue to respect the “one China” policy, and the Taiwanese mission does not mean diplomatic recognition.
“We hope that China will understand this,” said A. Skaisgirytė.
Reluctant relations between the parties also have an economic purpose.
China has also recently taken steps to stop freight trains to Lithuania, issue food export permits, reduce credit limits for Lithuanian companies and raise prices.
In addition, some Lithuanian companies working with China have been notified by the country’s authorities that their partners in China are not renewing or concluding a new agreement after the countries’ relations have weakened.