Lithuania's new PM says allowing Taiwan's de-facto embassy was 'maybe too brave'
Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius has signaled a desire to normalize diplomatic relations with China, describing the 2021 decision to host a Taiwanese representative office as potentially 'too brave.' The move aims to align Lithuania's China policy with the broader European consensus.
Why it matters
The statement highlights the geopolitical tension between supporting Taiwan's sovereignty and maintaining economic ties with China within the EU framework.
New Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said on Tuesday (July 14, 2026), the 2021 decision to allow Taiwan to open a de-facto embassy in the country was ‘maybe too brave’ as he sought to repair relations with China on his first day in the job.
China downgraded its diplomatic relations with Lithuania in late 2021 after the European Union and NATO nation of 2.9 million people let Taiwan open a ‘Taiwanese’ representative office on its soil. The move has also hit trade ties.
The manifesto of the government of Mr. Sinkevicius, which was voted through on Tuesday (July 14, 2026), clearing the way for him to become Prime Minister, includes the goal to ‘normalise’ the relationship back to appointing each others’ Ambassadors.
Beijing views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory with no right to set up such offices in countries with which China has formal ties.
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