KEYSTONE
Nobody likes to mess with economically powerful China. But Lithuania, of all places, with its 2.8 million inhabitants, does not allow Beijing to dictate anything when it comes to the hot topic of Taiwan.
Not many states recognize Taiwan. Only 14 countries have diplomatic relations with the island republic – Paraguay is still the largest. And Taipei has just lost another supporter.
the beginning of December had to Taiwan close its embassy in Nicaragua, at the turn of the year China opened a permanent representation in the Central American country. One thing is clear: Beijing’s arm is long and it has big biceps.
Lithuania is only half the size of Nicaragua. But Lithuania is still going the opposite way: since Vilnius voted in 2020 for Taiwan to become a member of the World Health Organization, bilateral relations have been getting better and better.
Keystone
Despite all warnings from China, Taiwan’s chargee for the Baltic States was invited to the national parliament in June 2020, and 200 politicians * petitioned Lithuania’s president to recognize the Republic of China.
In October 2020, more Taiwan-friendly parties moved into parliament following the elections. A bilateral forum was established in 2021 and a Taiwanese liaison office opened in Vilnius in June, which was opened in November.
The chutzpah of giving China a contra
China reacted angrily: diplomatic relations deteriorated as did the volume of international trade. In December 2021, imports from Lithuania were completely stopped. Politicians who criticized the human rights situation in China were declared personae non grata.
However, Lithuania is not even thinking regarding being intimidated by Beijing. «The European country that dared to face China instead of fooling around», is amazed the British BBC. The resistance is also being sweetened for the Baltic Sea neighbors – from the Taiwanese side.
As early as June, when it became public that Taiwan was allowed to open a kind of embassy, it was the population who thanked the Eastern Europeans. After Vilnius gave the island 20,000 cans of corona vaccine, demand rose for Lithuanian chocolate and beer skyrocketed, and Taiwanese companies were sending gifts to Lithuania.
Taiwan plans to invest $ 200 million
«It is very nice that you have responded so kindly to us. That was unexpected for us », explained then Marius Horbacauskas, head of the Volfas Engelman brewery. “We started exporting to Taiwan not long ago. It’s been going pretty well so far despite the fact that it’s a far-away country. ” Rolandas Pridotkas from Chocolatier Ruta praises the “different mentality and values of the people in Asia”.
Even when Beijing stops Lithuanian imports, Taipei steps in: Just now Taiwan bought 20,000 liters of rum that the offended Chinese no longer wanted. The products that are due to arrive in Asia at the end of January are explicitly advertised.
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After Vilnius followed up with almost 240,000 doses of the 20,000 vaccine doses, it is now Taipei’s turn once more: To compensate for the losses from China, Taiwan wants to invest a whopping 200 million dollars in the Baltic country, like Eric Huang from the liaison office in Lithuania proclaimed.
Lithuania’s President and the «mistake»
That sounds a bit like a happy ending, but it’s not that simple following all. Lithuania’s president has just admitted that his country was wrong. “I think it wasn’t opening a Taiwan office that was a mistake,” stated Gitanas Nauseda. “It was his name that hadn’t been agreed with me.”
Now you have to live with the consequences, the president continued. A crack in the story of the defensive small country in Europe? Perhaps Nauseda’s kowtowing is just a calculation: Other Lithuanian politicians counter that everything had been agreed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stands by its Taiwan course.
Expert Marcin Jerzewski tells the BBC: “The cost of high moral standards is lower for Lithuania than for other countries. That matters. ” The friendly reactions from Taiwan are helpful, he implies: “But what is also important is the reasonable promise to pay for the lost trade.”
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