U.S. Congressional Taiwan Caucus Co-Chairs Urge Lithuania to Stand Firm with Taiwan Amid PRC Coercion

On August 10, 2026, the four co-chairs of the U.S. Congressional Taiwan Caucus ––  Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Ami Bera (D-CA), Andy Barr (R-KY), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ) –– sent a joint letter to Lithuania’s top leaders, urging the country to maintain its substantive relationship with democratic Taiwan amid the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) “bullying and coercion.”
 
The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by reaffirming Taiwan as an “important regional partner” and stating that Lithuania would continue to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation with Taiwan. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius also thanked the U.S. lawmakers. Speaker of the Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament) Juozas Olekas, however, noted that Lithuania’s support for Taiwan “remains strong,” while stressing that this would not alter Vilnius’s efforts to normalize relations with Beijing.
 
Lithuania’s Experience Facing PRC Coercion
 
The bipartisan appeal from the Congressional Taiwan Caucus co-chairs underscores growing concern over the PRC’s bullying and coercion against countries that seek to deepen ties with Taiwan.
 
Lithuania became a prime target of Beijing’s economic coercion after allowing the “Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania” to open in 2021. In retaliation, Beijing downgraded diplomatic ties and imposed a de facto trade embargo, targeting Lithuanian exports and disrupting European Union supply chains.
 
Lithuania has sought to maintain cooperation with Taiwan while also working to repair relations with China. In February 2026, then-Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė described the 2021 decision to open the representative office in Vilnius under the name “Taiwanese” as a “mistake,” noting that Vilnius had begun taking “small first steps” toward restoring ties with Beijing.
 
Talks on a new economic cooperation action plan with Taiwan were temporarily paused in June 2026 amid Lithuania’s political transition. Nonetheless, Vilnius resumed negotiations in July after the new government under Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius took office.
 
U.S. Congress Seeks to Counter PRC Coercion Against Taiwan’s Partners
 
Lithuania’s experience illustrates the broader challenge facing countries that deepen official or unofficial ties with Taiwan, as Beijing can impose economic costs to pressure governments into policy reversals.
 
To address this challenge, U.S. lawmakers have pursued bipartisan legislation specifically designed to help Taiwan’s partners withstand PRC pressure. The Taiwan Allies Fund Act was introduced in the Senate in March 2025 (S.1216) and in the House in April 2025 (H.R.2559). The Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced S.1216 in January 2026, and the bill was reported with an amendment in February.
 
The House version would authorize $120 million over three years from fiscal years 2026 through 2028, while the amended Senate version would authorize $30 million over the same period, under the Countering PRC Influence Fund (CPIF). This assistance would support countries facing PRC coercion for maintaining or strengthening ties with Taiwan.
 
Implications
 
As Lithuania and other European countries such as Czechia remain key U.S. partners on Europe’s strategic frontline, Beijing’s efforts to capitalize on shifting domestic political dynamics to weaken their ties with Taiwan warrant close attention.
 
For Taiwan, sustaining robust ties with democratic partners helps reinforce its sovereignty and expand its international space. Lithuania’s experience also underscores the value of pairing diplomatic support with practical economic security measures to mitigate the economic costs of resisting PRC coercion and strengthen democratic resilience.
 
Sources:
[1] Office of Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart    [2] Taipei Times    [3] Asia Society Policy Institute    [4] Taipei Times    [5] Focus Taiwan    [6] S.1216 / H.R.2559 (Taiwan Allies Fund Act)