Lithuanians overwhelmingly oppose Vilnius’ policy on China, poll shows
- Just 13 per cent support Vilnius, according to a government poll that adds to the pressure on its foreign ministry
- Survey conducted in December as Beijing’s economic retaliation for Lithuania’s bolstering of ties to Taiwan became apparent
Just 13 per cent of Lithuanians support Vilnius’ hardline policy toward China, according to a government poll that adds to the pressure mounting on its foreign ministry.
In a survey conducted by a private company on behalf of the ministry, just 1 per cent of respondents rated Lithuania’s “value-based” policy towards China “very positively”, with 12 per cent viewing it “positively”.
Conversely, 21 per cent said they felt “very negatively” and 37 per cent “negatively” about a policy that has seen Vilnius bolster its ties with Taiwan, the self-governed island that Beijing views as a renegade province.
The survey was conducted last month, around the time that China’s unofficial economic retaliation for the policy first became clear. The survey results were first reported by the local online news portal 15 Minutes.
The results come after Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda last week said that the country had made “a mistake” in welcoming a diplomatic centre to Vilnius opened under the title of Taiwanese Representative Office.