DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH? Despite China’s coercive trade measures, tiny Lithuania and Slovenia continue to bolster relations with Taiwan. SYNERGIA FOUNDATION RE S E A RCH
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lose on the heels of Lithuania, another member of the European Union – Slovenia has established reciprocal representative offices with Taiwan. The decision itself is nothing out of the ordinary, as most major countries have an unofficial diplomatic relationship with the self-governed island. In fact, Slovenia is one of the very few countries in the EU which does not have a Taiwanese mission to speak of. What has been controversial, however, is the choice of a name. As opposed to calling it the office of ‘Chinese Taipei’ to appease Beijing, certain reports have suggested that Slovenia might follow Lithuania’s example in designating it as the ‘Taiwanese Representative Office’. Slovenian Prime Minister, Janez Jansa, has also stirred up a hornet’s nest by calling Taiwan a ‘democratic country’, in a clear snub to China. It remains to be seen whether this sparks yet another trade embargo or economic retaliation by China, as was seen in the case of Lithuania.
The fact that smaller countries are defying the carefully orchestrated Chinese Wolf Warrior policy vis à vis Taiwan is a worrying factor, especially when the military is flexing its muscles in the Taiwan Straits. per of a formal diplomatic exchange is strongly contested, with punitive action being meted out. Not surprisingly, only fourteen nations, mostly in South America and Asia, have continued to maintain some kind of formal relations with the East Asian Republic. No major powers, including the U.S. and even India, have tried to breach this Beijing-stipulated protocol.
APPLICATION OF SOFT POWER
Therefore, when the small state of Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a controversially named ‘Taiwan representative office’ in its territory, all hell broke loose. A visibly enraged Beijing viewed it as an affront to its ‘One China’ principle, prompting it to downgrade diplomatic relations with Vilnius and expel the Lithuanian ambassador. It also reportedly imposed a customs block on exports from the Baltic nation by revoking its status as a ‘country of origin’.
Leveraging its significant economic heft, with its growing military power smouldering in the background, Beijing has laid down clear ground rules for those wishing to interact with Taiwan commercially or diplomatically. Any whis-
However, as opposed to targeting the Central European country alone, Beijing also inflicted comprehensive sanctions on the entire industry supply chain. It threatened to prevent any European products that had elements made in Lithuania to enter the country, thereby affecting EU traders in the region. Against this backdrop, the recent move by Slovenia is expected to invite similarly stringent actions by China. In fact, the Slovenian-Chinese Business Council has already reported that partners in China are terminating contracts and exiting previously agreed investments.
The unification of Taiwan with mainland China remains very much on the cards; in Beijing’s perspective, it is only a matter of time before a historical anomaly is corrected, irrespective of global opinion. It is all part of a narrative about the Middle Kingdom coming of age and taking its rightful place in the international order.
