On Nov. 9, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said in a podcast that when the COVID-19 epidemic is over, she would like to visit Lithuania, because it is such a brave country.
Tour operators in Taiwan and Lithuania are seeking to operate direct charter flights between the two countries. If that happens, they would be the first direct flights between Taiwan and eastern Europe, making Lithuania an important gateway for Taiwanese access to countries around the Baltic Sea.
Meanwhile, the Lithuanian government is encouraging e-commerce platforms to open sections dedicated to selling Lithuanian products. Thanks to a surge in orders placed in gratitude for Lithuania’s donations of COVID-19 vaccines, it has appeared among the top 10 countries for overseas credit-card spending by Taiwanese, raising bright prospects for future business opportunities.
Two weeks ago, Lithuania announced that it would provide 201,200 doses of vaccines to Latvia, which has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases and on Nov. 8 entered a three-month state of emergency situation. Lithuania had previously sent more than 300,000 doses of vaccines to Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Tajikistan through the EU’s vaccine-sharing mechanism, as well as two batches totaling 255,900 doses to Taiwan in June and last month.
Together with its most recent donation to Latvia, Lithuania’s international vaccine donations add up to about 767,000 doses. Most of these donations were to eastern European countries, but Taiwan has received the most, accounting for one-third of Lithuania’s total donations, despite being 8,000km away.
Lithuania is a small country with a population of fewer than 3 million people, and its main trade partners are EU countries and Russia. Its annual exports to China stand at less than US$500 million, ranking only 20th among its export markets. Its limited exposure to economic retaliation by China allowed Lithuania to withdraw from the “17+1” Cooperation Framework between China and central and eastern European countries, thus reducing the framework to “16+1.”
It has also decided to develop relations with Taiwan by exchanging representative offices. Vaccine diplomacy is the prelude to close interaction between these two like-minded partners.
Lithuania has been the first domino to set off several major turning points in history. Having been governed by the Soviet Union for half a century after its annexation, Lithuania in March 1990 was the first of 15 Soviet republics to declare independence, following the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989. Although Moscow applied economic and energy sanctions while sending tanks into Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, its people did not relent, and their example helped lead to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Lithuanians’ tradition of resisting dictatorial government has made their country the strongest supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Also, in view of the oppressive rule of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko across its border, Lithuania provides sanctuary to exiled members of the Belarusian opposition.
Lithuania has won international support for its perseverance in the face of China’s retaliatory measures, such as recalling its ambassador. EU Council President Charles Michel, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Joe Biden have all voiced their support for Lithuania’s measures against China, as have the US Congress and the European Parliament.
In a diplomatic conflict centered on relations with Taiwan, plucky little Lithuania refuses to be bullied.
Chen Yung-chang is a company manager.
Translated by Julian Clegg
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