Lithuania became the only EU country to publicly approve the controversial visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.

This was reported by Euobserver.

"Now that Speaker Pelosi has opened the doors to Taiwan much wider, I am sure that other defenders of freedom and democracy will come through very soon," said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.

He made this statement as Pelosi's plane landed in Taipei.

Pelosi became the highest-ranking American politician to visit the island in 25 years.

China immediately condemned Pelosi's visit, with the Foreign Ministry saying it was seriously damaging to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing vowed to take action in response to Pelosi's visit, noting that the resulting consequences should be borne by the U.S. and separatist forces of "Taiwan independence."

Lithuania had already incurred Chinese wrath last year, including trade sanctions, by allowing Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius and sending ministers and deputies on visits to Taipei.

MEPs also challenged China by visiting Taipei last November and this July. And Landsbergis' comment about "other defenders of freedom" hinted at a planned upcoming visit by the British parliament's foreign affairs committee.

Meanwhile, relations between the EU and China have also deteriorated over Beijing's political support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's abuse of the Uighur minority.

As Jonathan Eyal of the British defense think tank Rusi wrote in an article in The Straits Times, "There has been concern in European capitals that one of China's possible responses... could be an increase in its level of cooperation with Moscow."

"There is also concern that rising tensions between Beijing and Washington could distract the U.S. from confronting the Russian invasion of Ukraine," he added.