Vilnius:Lithuania's president announced on Tuesday that reestablishing full diplomatic representation with China should not be contingent upon changing the name of Taiwan's representative office in Vilnius.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, President Gitanas Nauseda expressed on Lithuanian radio station Ziniu Radijas, via public broadcaster LRT, that Lithuania aims to restore relations with China to a normal level. He suggested that both countries could initially accept a lower level of diplomatic representation, such as a deputy head of mission instead of an ambassador.

Nauseda emphasized that the goal is to pragmatically normalize diplomatic relations and stated that discussions with Beijing are ongoing, with meetings scheduled for next month that could clarify negotiation prospects. The president acknowledged that it is too early to predict whether these talks will yield concrete results.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius has also expressed hope for a breakthrough in relations by the end of the year. The diplomatic rift began in 2021 when Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in Vilnius using the name 'Taiwanese,' against Beijing's preference for the name 'Taipei.' This led China to downgrade its diplomatic status in Lithuania from ambassador to charge d'affaires, and Lithuania subsequently ceased issuing new accreditations to Chinese diplomats, leaving China without accredited diplomats in Lithuania since May 2025.