On February 6, the Global Times published an editorial specifically targeting Lithuania, reacting to I. Ruginienė's remarks that Lithuania made a mistake by opening a Taiwanese representative office with that particular designation. The editorial quoted the head of the Social Democratic-dominated government, who stated that Lithuania acted prematurely and suffered the consequences of that decision. The article conveys the heightened tensions between Lithuania and China following Lithuania's approval of the office in 2021, which resulted in a significant decline in bilateral trade and strained diplomatic relations.

Since the representative office's opening, diplomatic ties between the two countries have been severely impacted, with Lithuania seeing the withdrawal of accredited Chinese diplomats and personnel since mid-May of the previous year. The countries are currently at an impasse concerning how to restore diplomatic relations after the dispute over the office’s name. The Global Times reacted to this situation by asserting that merely acknowledging Lithuania's supposed 'mistake' verbally is insufficient for restoring relations with China.

This escalating diplomatic rift reflects broader geopolitical tensions surrounding Taiwan and China's assertive foreign policy. Lithuania's stance on Taiwan is indicative of a trend among some nations to challenge China's influence, but it also shows the potential economic consequences that can arise from such positions. The future of diplomatic interactions between Lithuania and China remains uncertain, as both sides have not yet reached a consensus on how to mend their ties.