View of Lithuania’s capital Vilnius
The World Around Us
By Venkatesh Raghavan
Lithuania that faced mounting tensions owing to Chinese sanctions imposed on its trade received backing for its stand against Communist China’s bullying, arm twisting tactics, when Taiwan, facing Chinese threats in face of latter’s aggressive stand on its ‘One China’ doctrine, opened the floodgates by allowing its private company to purchase 20,400 bottles of Lithuanian rum. The shout from the Taiwanese quarters rang loud and clear: “Lithuania supports us and we as a reciprocal measure support Lithuania.”
Joanne Ou, a spokesperson of Taiwan’s ministry of foreign affairs (MOFA) emphasized her country’s commitment to support bilateral relationship with Lithuania besides assuaging the support received from western powers like Germany, UK, France and US towards the cause of democracy. Lithuania has also received solidarity from the Western block recently for having strengthened its ties with Taiwan despite persistent coercion from the Chinese quarters.
The government of Lithuania too decided to buffer the effects of financial sanctions imposed by China and is planning to come out with an aid package to the tune of USD 147 million, much to the chagrin of Beijing, which on the last day of 2021, had remarked that the Lithuanian government could have spent the money on improving people’s welfare, fighting COVID-19 or making things better for refugees living at the border. Notwithstanding such remarks, those companies already under the aegis of European Regional Development Fund have received an initial impetus package from the Lithuanian government as part of the proposed move.
Taiwan’s counter move to nullify Chinese economic sanctions against Lithuania has given it the image of being a true friend of the miniature European country. Earlier too, Taiwan had managed to stand up and combat attempts by China to coerce the country to tow its line by imposing economic sanctions. Mainland China too is bogged with problems in the current geopolitical scenario where the country’s exports have suffered heavily.
Moreover, China’s ability to block or ban Taiwanese products in the recent past has met with repeated failures. This acted as a source of strength to Lithuania and over a period of time both countries have emerged resilient to Communist China’s bullying instincts. Reports also reached the European bloc that Chinese President Xi Jinping was left seething with helpless anger at the turn of events.
The European bloc also feels enamored by Lithuanian government’s tongue in cheek responses to Chinese intimidation despite being fully aware of the consequences of such actions. Taking the trade war with the dragon head-on, Lithuania banned sale of all Chinese made handsets within its territories. Besides, Taiwan was permitted to have diplomatic embassy level representation in the Lithuanian capital. This has left authorities in Beijing twiddling their thumbs in fury.
The United States has stepped into the fray. On January 3, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with foreign ministers of the Bucharest Nine (B9) group over the phone and they highlighted their solidarity with Lithuania in the face of escalating “political pressure and economic coercion” by China. Beijing responded today claiming that the “ins and outs of the Taiwan-related issues on the part of Lithuania are very clear”. It further accused the US side of not only defending Lithuania’s “erroneous act of creating the false impression of “one China, one Taiwan”,” but also attempting to put together “a small clique condoning the “Taiwan independence” forces under the pretext of supporting Lithuania”. China hopes the US stand will make the international community question Washington’s sincerity in upholding the one-China policy and its true intention on the Taiwan question.
On the Hong Kong front too, things are not moving in the direction the Chinese authorities would like to have it. China was attempting to weaken the former British colony’s financial prowess, whereby mainland China’s fishing village of Shenzhen located in its Guangdong province replaced it as Asia’s business capital. The move has misfired and the weakening of Hong Kong has resulted in Singapore getting transformed into the most sought after business destination. The previous year, witnessed the city-state of Singapore recording a 7.2% growth in its economy despite facing the pandemic crisis.
To make things worse for China, its attempts at repairing fences with the European Bloc headed by Germany too have been effectively stone-walled and as of now it’s yet to emerge with a Plan B on this count.
