RESILIENCE & RESOLVE: - Lessons from Lithuania’s Experience with Chinese Economic Coercion

All statements of fact and expressions of opinion contained in this report are the sole responsibility of its authors and may not reflect the views of the organization and its board, staff, and supporters. [...] EARLY STRAINS IN THE RELATIONSHIP While the opening of the Taiwanese office in Vilnius was the focus of China’s coercion campaign, relations between the two countries have ebbed and flowed over the past decade. [...] In March 2021, Lithuania announced plans to open a trade office in Taipei; in July, it said it would allow Taiwan to open a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius.12 While Taiwan has representative trade offices in more than 20 European countries, the Vilnius office would be the first to open in Europe in almost two decades and the only one to bear “Taiwanese” in its name. [...] China’s ambassador to Lithuania sent letters to the operator of the country’s only seaport as well as other major companies warning against the implications of the government’s China policy and urging them to pressure Vilnius to change its stance. [...] “We do not allow ourselves to be divided,” she added.35 German officials also made multiple visits to Lithuania during the crisis to signal support for Vilnius, as well as to German companies operating in the country.36 The EU also moved to fast-track the development of its Anti-Coercion Instrument, partly in response to Lithuania’s experience.