Lithuania stares down escalating Chinese economic coercion

A matter of serious concern! When a country gets on the wrong side of China!

Let's not forget that China violated the Sino-British Joint Declaration (one country, two systems) of 1984 by annexing Hong Kong! 

"... The small Baltic state (population 2.8 million) has been targeted with some of the most extreme tactics yet seen in Beijing’s escalating use of coercive diplomacy. In its intimidation of Lithuania, China attempted to exploit the country’s EU membership and economic dependence, which turned the issue into a dangerous political crisis for the young democracy.

Lithuania’s cardinal sin was allowing the opening of a ‘Taiwanese representative office’ in Vilnius that used the self-governed island’s name rather than the ‘Taipei’ alternative palatable to Beijing. In response, Lithuania was effectively blocked as an importer when it was deleted from the list of countries of origin at customs in China—a tactic not previously documented. Chinese exports to Lithuania have also been curbed and Chinese companies are cancelling orders from Lithuania.

The critical development came in December, when multinational companies like German car parts manufacturer Continental [and Volkswagen] were threatened with import restrictions because their supply chains involved Lithuania. ..."

Democracies work on collective security as Lithuania stares down escalating Chinese coercion | The Strategist: Three decades after gaining its independence from the USSR, Lithuania is again on the front lines of tension between the liberal democratic world and communist authoritarianism. This time, it’s grappling with the People’s Republic of China and faces intimidation using innovative economic statecraft rather than Soviet military force.