Lithuania: Incoming PM says not informed of expulsion of Chinese diplomats

Lithuania’s incoming prime minister, Gintautas Paluckas, said that he was not informed about the government’s decision to expel three Chinese diplomats, BNS reports. He said that the consequences of the move remained to be seen, noting that diplomatic relations with China were already “practically non-existent.” China has warned that the expulsions could lead to retaliatory measures against Lithuania. Earlier, Paluckas and President Gitanas Nauseda proposed normalising relations with China. Incoming foreign minister, presidential adviser Kestutis Budrys said that China should make the initiative to restore full diplomatic ties, pointing out that the downgrade of relations had been China’s decision, BNS reported. Meanwhile, Darius Jauniskis, director of Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD), warned that an expansion of China’s diplomatic representation would automatically lead to the resumption and intensification of Chinese intelligence activities.