Lithuania Turns Toward Beijing! New Prime Minister States: I Don't Love or Hate China, But Will Seek Normalization of Diplomatic Ties

According to reports, Lithuania's newly appointed Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius stated in his government's policy platform that while maintaining a firm stance against Russia, the country will adjust its foreign policy toward China.

As reported by Euronews, on Tuesday (July 7), Lithuania's new Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius presented his government's policy agenda to the national parliament. On foreign policy, while continuing a tough stance against Russia, the most notable change is Lithuania's position toward China.

The policy platform states that Lithuania will "normalize diplomatic relations with China to the level of other European Union member states." The report analyzes this as a signal of a more pragmatic approach.

This marks a clear shift compared to the previous conservative-led coalition government. In 2021, Vilnius allowed Taiwan to open a representative office, prompting Beijing to downgrade diplomatic relations with Lithuania and impose economic restrictions on the country.

During his parliamentary address outlining the government's platform, conservative Lithuanian MP Žygimantas Pavilionis questioned Sinkevičius, asking why he "doesn't see the threat from China" and why "you love China so much."

"I don't love or hate China," Sinkevičius responded. He added that his foreign policy has two priorities: "One is security, and the second—though not as important as the first—is economic cooperation."

Last month, suspension of an economic cooperation action plan negotiation

According to Lithuania's national broadcaster LRT, last month the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the suspension of negotiations with Taiwan on an economic cooperation action plan, citing "changes in the domestic environment."

Euronews reported that at the EU level, Lithuania aligns with France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands—countries that last week called at the European Council for broader trade defense tools, including tariffs, to counter China's unfair trade practices.

An analysis article published by LRT on July 8 cited experts who believe that if relations with China are truly normalized, Lithuania is unlikely to return to the values-based foreign policy of its previous conservative government, even if parliamentary majorities shift again in the future.

DW Chinese has an Instagram! Follow dw.chinese for more in-depth图文 and video reports. © 2026 Deutsche Welle. All content is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use without special permission from Deutsche Welle is prohibited. Any improper use will result in compensation and criminal liability.