‘My interest is to normalise relations to a point where we can communicate as we used to, (...) by establishing diplomatic relations, building an international tradition of diplomatic relations,’ Budrys said on Friday, when asked by journalists about the prospect of relations with China.

‘We need to have our embassy in Beijing. We also want China to have its embassy in Lithuania, to have full rights, diplomatic immunity - just as we want this towards our diplomats in Beijing,’ - said the head of Lithuanian diplomacy.

Budrys also stressed that the deterioration of bilateral relations with China was not the fault of Lithuania. ‘Lithuania has not radically changed its policy towards China,’ - said the minister, stressing that Lithuania will continue to develop relations with the countries of the Indo-Pacific region. ‘We see this as an alternative - to establish relations with countries that respect democracy, the rule of law and which, while developing business, do not create various threats that manifest themselves through a certain dependence. This is our long-term goal,’ - he said.

The head of Lithuanian diplomacy stressed that after 2021, when bilateral relations deteriorated, the situation has changed and Lithuania has to take into account new circumstances. This is, he pointed out, China's support for Russia in its war with Ukraine and the economic sanctions imposed by Beijing on Lithuania.

‘We must not forget this. This is a message to any country that thinks it can cope with its dependence on China,’ - he added.

Following the opening of Taiwan's representative office in Lithuania in late 2021, relations between Vilnius and Beijing deteriorated significantly. China has imposed harsh diplomatic and economic sanctions. In addition, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially downgraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania. Tensions in bilateral relations had already existed before - after Lithuania withdrew from the ‘17+1’ cooperation format with China. The then head of Lithuanian diplomacy, Gabrielius Landsbergis, called on other EU countries to follow Lithuania's lead. However, only Estonia and Latvia did so.