Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry has declared that its cooperation with Lithuania will not be derailed by outside pressure, pushing back after Beijing called on Vilnius to “correct its mistake” on Taiwan-related issues — a fresh flashpoint in one of Europe’s most closely watched diplomatic experiments.
The exchange marks the latest turn in a years-long tug-of-war over a small Baltic nation that has become an outsized symbol in the contest between Taipei and Beijing. At stake is whether a democracy of fewer than three million people can sustain ties with Taiwan in the face of sustained economic and diplomatic pressure from China.
What Taipei said
Speaking at a routine press conference in Taipei on Tuesday, June 23, Taiwan Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) framed the relationship as one anchored in principle rather than convenience, describing Taiwan and Lithuania as close cooperation partners built on the shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
The friendly cooperation between the two sides is not affected by any third party. — Hsiao Kuang-wei, Taiwan Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
Hsiao added that Taiwan would continue to deepen cooperation with Lithuania and other like-minded countries on the basis of mutual respect, and work jointly to maintain a rules-based international order — language that positions the partnership within a broader coalition of democracies rather than as an isolated bilateral tie.
The trigger: a plan “put on hold”
Taipei’s reassurance followed reports that Lithuania’s foreign ministry had said an economic cooperation plan between Taiwan and Lithuania was being “put on hold by mutual agreement.” Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported Monday that the pause was prompted by changes in Lithuania’s domestic politics, as a new coalition government takes shape in Vilnius.
Why it matters
A “mutual agreement” to pause — rather than a cancellation — leaves the door open. But the timing, alongside a coalition reshuffle and renewed Chinese pressure, makes the freeze a test of how durable Taiwan’s European footholds really are.
Beijing’s demand
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson had said Monday that normalizing China–Lithuania relations would require Lithuania to return to Beijing’s one-China principle. China hoped Lithuania would “move promptly to correct its mistake” and create the conditions for restoring normal bilateral relations — a pointed reference to the diplomatic rupture that has shadowed the two countries’ ties.
A three-way standoff
The episode crystallizes a triangular dynamic, with each capital reading the same events through a very different lens:
Taipei
Cooperation rests on shared democratic values and “is not affected by any third party.” Vows to deepen ties.
Vilnius
Economic plan “put on hold by mutual agreement,” reportedly amid the formation of a new coalition government.
Beijing
Wants Lithuania to “correct its mistake” and return to the one-China principle before relations can normalize.
What to watch next
The central question is whether Lithuania’s incoming government treats the paused economic plan as a temporary recalibration or a quiet retreat. Taipei is signaling continuity and casting the partnership as part of a wider democratic alignment; Beijing is signaling that the price of normalization remains unchanged. For now, the spin of events leaves all three capitals holding firm — and the Baltic-to-Pacific axis very much in play.
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