With an aim to extend its trade and investment ties with the CEE (Central and East European) countries, in 2012 China founded the 17+1 initiative (it was 16+1 before Greece joined).

"There is no such thing as 17+1 anymore, as for practical purposes Lithuania is out," the country's foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told Politico in an email, referring to Beijing's decade-old initiative to engage Central and Eastern European countries, most of which are from the ex-Soviet bloc.

He also urged EU countries to abandon the initiative.

“From our perspective, it is high time for the EU to move from a dividing 16+1 format to a more uniting and therefore much more efficient 27+1," Landsbergis said.

"The EU is strongest when all 27 member states act together along with EU institutions," he said.

"Vaccination rollout, tackling pandemics are just [a] few recent examples of the EU27 united in solidarity and purpose. Unity of [the] 27 is key to success in EU's relations with external partners. Relations with China should be no exception," he added.

The Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) reported in March that in February the Lithuanian parliament agreed to leave what was previously China's 17+1 format as the cooperation between Beijing and Lithuania has brought "almost no benefits".

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Chinese Mission to the EU told Politico that China was “not aware” of Lithuania’s move, adding: “China-CEEC [Central and Eastern European countries] cooperation mechanism is a cross-regional cooperation mechanism jointly initiated by China and Central and Eastern European countries. It meets the desire of all parties to seek development together."