Lithuania will try to convince China to return its ambassador to Vilnius, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Wednesday, a day after Beijing recalled its envoy over Lithuania's deepening ties with Taiwan.
“As to what exactly can be done, [...] [it] is to have the ambassadors return to work, and we have started taking steps in this direction,” Landsbergis told opposition MPs of the Farmers and Greens Union on Wednesday.
Read more: China recalls ambassador from Lithuania
“I believe this misunderstanding can be resolved and it will be resolved,” he added.
Taiwan has representative offices in other countries, but ambassadors have not been recalled from them for this reason, Landsbergis noted.
“In fact, what happened yesterday is regrettable, I would even say unacceptable, but this is not the closure of the embassy or the severance of diplomatic relations,” he said.
Landsbergis said that the US Department of State and EU bodies had backed Lithuania in the diplomatic row with China.
Read more: Washington backs Lithuania in diplomatic row with China
On Tuesday, China recalled its ambassador from Vilnius and demanded that Lithuania withdraw its envoy in Beijing. China's Foreign Ministry said the decision came in response to plans to open a representative office under the name of Taiwan in Lithuania.
Several weeks ago, Taiwan announced plans to open a representative office in Vilnius by the end of the summer. Lithuania is also planning to open a trade office in Taiwan.
Lithuania is not among the 15 countries that recognise Taiwan, officially called the Republic of China, as a country.
China tries to keep Taipei isolated on the world stage and avoids any official use of the word ‘Taiwan’ so as not to give international legitimacy to the self-ruled island of 23 million people.
However, Taiwan maintains de facto diplomatic relations with dozens of nations through its Taipei representative offices. The office in Lithuania will differ from others in that it will bear the name of Taiwan.
Lithuania has recently donated coronavirus vaccines to Taiwan, evoking a positive response from the local population.
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