Diplomacy

Taiwan Rejects Calls To Rename Representative Office in Lithuania

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By Kris Ma/Tiffany Wong

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The name of Taiwan's representative office in Lithuania is again at the center of political debate. Reports in Lithuanian media say the foreign ministry there asked for the office to be renamed, a move that coincides with efforts by Vilnius to repair relations with China. Taiwan has rejected the idea, saying ties with Lithuania are built on shared values and mutual benefit. Critics in Lithuania argue that changing the office's name would amount to appeasing authoritarian states. Experts on Taiwan-Europe relations say the timing raises questions about whether the office's name is being used as leverage in negotiations involving trade, investment and diplomatic normalization with Beijing.

Five years after the opening of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, its name is once again causing controversy for the Baltic nation.

The office was seen as a diplomatic coup for Taiwan when it opened in 2021. But China, which opposes any expression of Taiwan’s sovereignty overseas, was not happy. It responded with diplomatic and economic sanctions against Lithuania. In the ongoing freeze in relations, Chinese diplomats have effectively been shut out of the country for a year.

Local media there reported that the country’s foreign ministry asked in September for the office to be renamed. Taiwan's representative offices in other countries without official diplomatic ties typically use the name “Taipei.”

But Taiwan's foreign ministry says, it has no plans to change the name.

CHEN MING-CHI, DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER:

"In interactions between Taiwan and Lithuania relations are based on mutual benefit they are based on shared values and bilateral ties are growing stronger.

On the Lithuanian side regarding relations with China the president specifically spelled out that engagement with China does not need to come at Taiwan’s expense. We believe this position is entirely correct."

The timing of the request coincides with a visit this week by a Chinese delegation as Vilnius seeks to mend ties.

Opposition lawmakers in Vilnius are opposed to changing the name of the office, saying it would amount to "appeasing authoritarian states."

Experts on Taiwan-Europe ties say the timing is suspicious...

MARCIN JERZEWSKI, HEAD OF TAIWAN OFFICE EUROPEAN VALUES CENTER FOR SECURITY POLICY:

"It looks like a gift to Beijing ahead of normalization talks. Additionally, we have also seen that the Lithuanian government was trying to tie the renaming of the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius to ongoing negotiations with Taiwan, including an agreement on avoidance of double taxation and a bilateral investment agreement. So this only further emphasizes the message that the name of the office is really a bargaining chip and not something that has only to do with economic pragmatism"

Lithuania's prime minister, who has previously called the unique naming of the Taiwanese office QUOTE "perhaps too brave," said he didn't know whether renaming it could help in discussions concerning China.

Meanwhile, the country’s president said that he would be involved in conversations if the name were to be changed.

Those in Vilnius... and Taiwan's foreign ministry... will be keeping a close eye as to whether Lithuania's relations with Taiwan can stay out of discussions with Beijing.