cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5631786
Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kestutis Budrys on Monday lauded his country’s good relations with Taiwan, and said he hoped to expand cooperation and build “strategic partnerships” with Taiwan amid increasing threats from authoritarian regimes.
Asked to comment on Lithuania’s policy toward Taiwan during a think tank event in Washington, Budrys told reporters that the two sides already have “really good cooperation.”
“And we are looking forward to expanding it, and especially in the sectors and fields where we need technological cooperation to [make] us stronger,” he said.
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The ties between Lithuania and Taiwan have warmed up in recent years after both countries opened reciprocal representative offices.
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China responded by recalling its ambassador to Vilnius, expelling Lithuania’s ambassador to Beijing, suspending direct freight rail service to Lithuania and severely restricting Lithuanian exports’ access to the Chinese market.
Although Lithuania tried to restore diplomatic links with China after the new government assumed power late last year, it has remained insistent on not changing the name of Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius.
Interesting. So if English Wikipedia is accurate, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwanese/_Representative/_Office/_in/_Lithuania then there’s certainly plenty of room for diplomatic relations to grow. Currently the office is still a TECO, in contrast to, for example, the full on embassy in Vatican City (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy/_of/_Taiwan,/_Holy/_See )
It’s not clear from the article if diplomatic relations between Lithuania and the PRC are fully called off or not. If they are, I don’t see it as the best possible move from the PRC. It’s just removing any incentive to prevent Lithuania from establishing full diplomatic recognition to the ROC.
Also, from the article,
Although Lithuania tried to restore diplomatic links with China after the new government assumed power late last year, it has remained insistent on not changing the name of Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius.
I wonder what was tried. If the current government in Lithuania really wants to do this, and the name alone is the sole sticking point, it seems like a solution like this might work out:
Sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the ROC that the word Taiwan in the name specifically means and is short for Taiwan island (where the city of Taipei is located). Then offer to sign another MOU with the PRC.
I’m not sure if it’d work, but it’s a potential middle ground compromise.