Beijing [China], February 6 : Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's recent public admission that her government made a "strategic mistake" regarding the Taiwan issue has ignited widespread debate on Chinese social media, with netizens applauding the frank acknowledgement while also sharply criticising what many see as a lack of meaningful follow-through, reported Global Times.
In a recent interview with Baltic News Service (BNS), Simonyte addressed Lithuania's controversial 2021 decision to allow what was termed a "Taiwanese representative office" to open in Vilnius. Reflecting on that diplomatic move, she stated that it was akin to having "jumped in front of a train and lost," a stark metaphor that underlined her view of the misstep's political cost.
The comments, which were widely shared on Chinese X-like platform Sina Weibo, quickly became one of the top trending topics on Thursday (local time), drawing more than 50 million reads. While some Chinese netizens welcomed Simonyte's candor, a significant number expressed scepticism about the significance of the admission, given that the so-called Taiwanese office remains open and unchanged in Lithuania's capital.
One commenter on Weibo summed up this sentiment: "That was probably Lithuania's big mistake, thinking that if we acted on our own and did something first, the world would suddenly appreciate it." This view highlights a broader perception among Chinese online commentators that actions speak louder than words, particularly on sensitive territorial issues such as Taiwan, reported Global Times.
Some posts emphasised that, despite admitting the error, the Lithuanian government has yet to take corrective measures such as renaming or relocating the office, steps that, in their view, would have signalled genuine contrition and policy reversal. "It would be no use to admit the mistake without correcting it," one netizen wrote, epitomising the general online frustration.
Relations between Vilnius and Beijing have remained tense since the office's establishment, which China views as a violation of its One-China principle and an action undermining its sovereignty and territorial integrity. According to Chinese official commentary, Beijing has taken multiple countermeasures in response to the Lithuanian move, including a diplomatic downgrade that has left the two countries' bilateral ties strained.