Lithuania's incoming government wants to restore diplomatic relations with China as quickly as possible. But what would that mean for the country's relationship with Taiwan, if the Taiwanese Representative Office that has operated in Vilnius for the past five years is renamed the Taipei Representative Office?
Analysts believe Taiwan is likely to take a pragmatic view.
An unusual nickname
Taiwan typically maintains relations abroad through offices bearing the name 'Taipei' rather than 'Taiwan' – a diplomatic convention designed to avoid antagonising Beijing.
Lithuania broke with that convention in 2021, when it allowed a 'Taiwanese Representative Office' to open in Vilnius. Beijing regarded the name as an implicit recognition of the island's independence and responded with severe economic and political sanctions against Lithuania. Still, the move also drew considerable attention and goodwill from Taiwan itself.
