A U.S. bomber flies over Vilnius, Lithuania, accompanied by two NATO air patrol planes (March 3, 2021)
Lithuania is considering opening an economic representative office in Taiwan to expand the country’s relations with Taiwan after the Lithuanian parliament passed a resolution to disengage from the “17+1” cooperation mechanism between China and Central and Eastern European countries. In response, the government of the Republic of China welcomed the “idea”, while the authorities in Beijing reiterated their opposition to the mutual establishment of official institutions and any official contacts between any diplomatic country and Taiwan.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in an interview with Lithuanian state radio and television on Tuesday (March 2) that Eastern Europe’s cooperation mechanism with Beijing “brings almost no benefits” to Lithuania, although he also stressed that “I’m not saying that our departure is the end, but we should really consider what is the most useful way to build relations with China.”
“Lithuania must consider what is the best way to reflect Lithuania’s interests.” Lansbergs said, “The 17+1 format is not very useful for Europe, it’s dividing Europe because some countries have different opinions about China than others.”
The report said the Lithuanian parliament’s foreign affairs committee approved Lithuania’s departure from the “17+1” cooperation mechanism between China and Central and Eastern European countries in February, with Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Zygimantas Pavilionis saying that Lithuania “must focus on cooperation with the region’s democratic countries”. Previously Pavilionis also said that China’s goal is to receive strategic infrastructure from different countries, “Why should we put ourselves in these risks?”
Estonia, Latvia and several Eastern European countries are considering similar actions, he said, and Lithuania is ready to expand its relations with Taiwan by setting up an economic representative office there.
Bloomberg and Reuters also reported that a spokesman for Lithuania’s Ministry of Economy and Innovation said Lithuania is ready to open a trade representative office in Taiwan by the end of this year to promote economic diplomacy with Asia.
The government of the Republic of China was cautious in responding to media inquiries about Lithuania’s plans to open a trade office in Taiwan. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said it welcomes any “ideas” that would help deepen bilateral relations between Lithuania and Taiwan, but had no comment on whether Lithuania would set up an office in Taiwan.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ou Jiang’an said Wednesday that Taiwan has always maintained an open attitude to make friends with countries around the world and is happy to establish good interaction and friendly relations with all parties, “for any idea that helps deepen friendly relations between Taiwan and Lithuania, we hold a welcome position,” but for the Lithuanian MP specifically mentioned that Lithuania However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no further information to share regarding the specific mention of the Lithuanian government’s plan to establish a representative office in Taiwan.
In addition, regarding Lithuania’s departure from the “17+1” cooperation mechanism between China and Central and Eastern European countries, Ou Jiang’an also said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no comment on Lithuania’s foreign policy decisions.
Both Lithuania and Estonia consider Russia and China as major national security threats.
Regarding Lithuania’s plan to establish a presence in Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin reiterated at a regular press conference on Thursday that the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing China and that China firmly opposes the establishment of official institutions or any form of official contacts between its diplomatic partners, including Lithuania, and Taiwan.”
After Lithuania’s general election last year, many in the new parliament and government had publicly expressed support for Taiwan and also strongly supported Taiwan’s participation in the World health Organization. Some lawmakers said Lithuania faces a powerful neighbor, Russia, and is in a similar situation as Taiwan faces China, and that Lithuania should support each other with Taiwan and have more cooperation in defending freedom, democracy and human rights.
In addition to the three Baltic states, the “17+1” mechanism established in 2012 also includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, the Republic of Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.
China has promised to invest in infrastructure in these countries, including ports, roads and industry, but some countries complain that Beijing has not fulfilled those promises and that deals with China come at a political cost to them because deepening cooperation with China could hurt their relations with the United States, which is seen as a guarantor of security in the region, Lithuanian state radio and television reported.
At the recent “17+1” cooperation mechanism summit of Central and Eastern European countries, chaired by Xi Jinping, the three Baltic states sent only ministers, not their heads of state.
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