#Lithuania
Revisiting Threat Perceptions of China: A Perspective from Lithuania
For a long time, the southernmost Baltic state of Lithuania displayed a low threat perception of China, viewing it as a distant emerging superpower with a lucrative market. Yet, if one would ask Lithuania’s…
Lithuania-Taiwan Relations: A Temperature Check
While Lithuania positioned itself as an early stalwart of closer ties between Europe and Taiwan, the sustainability of relations between Vilnius and Taipei remains in question. This is mainly due to domestic political competition, the Baltic country’s unfulfilled economic ambitions, and recent pressure on the Ingrida Šimonytė government to normalize relations with China. As we enter an election year, it is crucial to examine factors that could undermine the continued expansion of ties between Lithuania and Taiwan.
How Czechia Engages Taiwan
While shared values have underpinned the growing Czech-Taiwanese relationship, there is an interest on both sides to prove that the cooperation can also deliver tangible results.
Lithuania’s WTO Case and Why It Won’t Change Anything
In recent years, China has readily employed various coercive, protectionist and anti-free trade practices to its benefit. With EU Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis’ visit to China in late September for trade talks, the…
Lithuania-Taiwan Cooperation: Macro Ambitions for Microchips
In the wake of China’s economic retaliation against Lithuania, Taiwan made a historical decision to share its strategic semiconductor technology with the small Baltic country. This partnership, the first of its kind, could help Lithuania establish itself in the global semiconductor market.
Effective Deterrence? The Coming European Anti-Coercion Instrument
The EU’s anti-coercion instrument (ACI) has been in the making for almost one year and is about to be finalized. The speed of the process is a sign of a growing awareness among EU Member States of the need to be better equipped against the weaponization of trade relations and interdependence by third countries.
Mild Wording but Harsh Timing: Latvia and Estonia’s Exit from 16+1
Unlikely to cause the same level of Beijing’s hostility due to a milder tone, the coordinated Estonian and Latvian decision to halt participation in the China-CEE cooperation platform still sends a strong message to China due to its Taiwan-related timing.
Voice for CHOICE #14: Eyes on the Beijing Olympics with Malin Oud
While purported to be an apolitical showcase of athletics, free from the troubles of the present geopolitical climate, the Beijing Olympics appear to be off to an inauspicious start even before the opening ceremony. …
Vilnius the Valiant No More?
From its donation of 255,900 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to organizing a week-long parliamentary delegation to Taiwan, Lithuania has positioned itself as an early and reliable stalwart in the pursuit of closer ties between…
What 2021 Tells Us About the Future of China-CEE Relations
The year gone by was a tumultuous one for Europe’s relations with China, to say the least. With the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) put on hold, a round of sanctions imposed on China…
Voice for CHOICE #13: Examining China’s CEE Investment Aims with Ágnes Szunomár
Via the 16+1 platform, the Belt and Road, the Digital Silk Road, and more, there is no shortage of Chinese investment initiatives touching the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. This includes infrastructure projects…
China Pulls the Economic Coercion Card Against Lithuania
In early December, Lithuanian companies began to sense the extent of the economic price they might pay for the diplomatic row between Vilnius and Beijing. What initially appeared as a moderate diplomatic response was…