Lithuania's foreign ministry reportedly pressured Taiwan to rename its representative office in Vilnius, and a pro-Taiwan lawmaker is calling out his own government for it — bad news for Taiwan-Lithuania relations and a sign Vilnius is softening toward Beijing.

• Lithuania's foreign ministry asked Taiwan's envoy to rename the Vilnius office, claiming the current name was blocking economic ties, and set an October 1 deadline — China's national day.
• Lawmaker Matas Maldeikis slammed the move publicly, saying the government is treating Taiwan as a hostage in its China dealings and doesn't understand geopolitics.
• He also revealed Lithuania turned down a large investment offer from Taiwan during closed-door talks, saying the ruling government wants closer ties with China more than it wants the money.
• He warned the flip-flopping makes Lithuania look unreliable internationally, while other countries are instead lining up to work with Taiwan.
• The tension traces back to 2021, when Lithuania let Taiwan open an office under its own name, prompting China to downgrade relations — the current government has made restoring ties with China a policy goal.

Outlook: Lithuania's government appears set to keep pushing for the name change as it tries to repair relations with Beijing by year-end, risking further strain with Taiwan and criticism at home.