When asked about Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's visit to China, Mr Paluckas indicated that he had no questions about his Spanish counterpart's trip.
„It does not raise any questions (such as a visit to ELTA) because it is a common policy of the European Union. And Lithuania's policy in the context of the EU policy is more questionable because we do not even have normal diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, everybody around us – Estonians, Latvians, Poles, not to mention the Spanish – have such relations,“ Paluckas told reporters at the Presidential Palace on Monday.
„Why are these relations necessary – here, as it were, it is another question of how active or intensive this cooperation should be in the field of, say, security or the economy. It is a complicated diplomatic relationship. But to have no diplomatic relations at all – this is where we fall out of the context of Spain and the European Union“, Paluckas concluded.
ELTA recalls that after the Social Democrats' successful parliamentary elections, the Head of the current government mentioned the possibility of improving bilateral contact with Beijing and the return of the Lithuanian ambassador to China.
However, the Prime Minister's position soon softened. The Government Programme does not mention improving relations. On the contrary, the document identifies China as a significant challenge to Lithuania's foreign and security policy.
For his part, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has stated that Vilnius wants to normalise relations with Beijing. According to the politician, Lithuania wants China to return its diplomatic representation to a higher level and have its ambassador in Vilnius.
Beijing has reacted to these statements. According to Fang Mei, Counsellor at the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU), Beijing hopes that bilateral relations will „return to normal“. However, it notes that respecting the „one China“ policy can only strengthen communication and exchanges.
Relations between Vilnius and Beijing have become much more tense with the opening of a Taiwanese mission in Lithuania at the end of 2021. China has imposed tough diplomatic and economic sanctions. In addition, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially changed the level of diplomatic relations with Lithuania from Ambassador to Charge d'affaires.
Tensions in bilateral relations occurred after Lithuania withdrew from the 17+1 cooperation format with China. The then Head of the country's diplomacy, Gabrielius Landsbergis, urged other EU countries to follow Lithuania's example. However, only neighbouring Estonia and Latvia followed Vilnius' example.