A Lithuanian delegation, led by Lithuania's Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, reportedly arrived in Taiwan on August 7 for a five-day visit. At the Foreign Ministry's regular press conference held on August 11, spokesman Wang Wenbin strongly condemned this. The Chinese side will resolutely fight back against the heinous provocations of the relevant personnel of the cube to challenge the one-China principle and undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We urge the relevant personnel of the Cube not to go further and further down the wrong path.
During the sensitive period shortly after Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, Lithuania stood up again to brush up on its presence, which was undoubtedly a bad provocation to the mainland. The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs represents a tough attitude that the state is firmly opposed to. So what kind of country is Lithuania? (What the hell is Lithuania for those who are too small to be familiar with geography) Why repeatedly provoke the sovereign authority of the mainland?
Don't worry, let's talk about Taiwan's "countries with diplomatic relations."
I. Taiwan's "Countries with Diplomatic Relations"
After Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the mainland immediately launched countermeasures, the most powerful and shocking of which was the Rim of Taiwan military exercise.
Military exercises around Taiwan
It can be seen that the rim-Taiwan military exercises crossed the so-called "central line of the Taiwan Strait, entered the territorial water line announced by Taiwan itself, blocked Taiwan's main economic route, and pointed directly at Taiwan's important military bases. In the face of such an unprecedented exercise situation, I ask you to panic (Cai) not (English) panic (text) [Shhh]
Of course panicked, what to do? Gangs gang up to find foreign aid.
After three consecutive days of the "Locked Taiwan" military exercises, the Taiwan authorities finally waited for "foreign aid": On August 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Gonzaves arrived in Taiwan at the "invitation" and began his so-called "show of friendship" itinerary (there was finally a so-called "country with diplomatic relations" to the Taiwan authorities to save the scene).
Everyone looked at the name, and it is estimated that it is (baffled) and stuffy (bi) again, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines? What the hell is this?
Don't worry, let's first understand Taiwan's so-called "countries with diplomatic relations."
As of August 2022, there are only 14 "countries with diplomatic relations" left in Taiwan, namely Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, marshall islands, Belize, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Eswatini, and the Vatican.
For geographical blindness (black iron), it is popularizing unknown geographical knowledge;
A friend who knows a little about geography (Bronze) probably only knows the Vatican, the smallest country in the world;
Friends who know a little about it (Silver) should have heard of Nauru, The Seabed, Paraguay and other places;
Go one step further (gold), know the Marshall Islands, Guatemala, Honduras, Eswatini;
Friends who know all countries, please let me call a big brother (king) [a flash of inspiration]
Well, in order to take care of most of our friends, let's talk with the picture, above.
Taiwan's "Countries with Diplomatic Relations"
It can be intuitively seen that in addition to paraguay, a landlocked country located in South America, the European country China Vatican, and the African country China Eswatini, all in the middle of the two red circles. The question is, where are these two red circles?
A place on the border of North and South America, near the Caribbean Sea, yes, the famous Pirates of the Caribbean haunted;
The other is located on the northern edge of Oceania, a bird does not ... Sorry, I'm wrong, But Nauru is really a place for birds to (the accumulation of national wealth is basically dependent on the local bird droppings accumulated over the years, which is no longer the case).
It can be seen that Taiwan's so-called "countries with diplomatic relations" are more or less as strong as this, and it is "really not easy" for Saint Vincent and Grenadines Prime Minister Gonzaves to cross the Great Peace Ocean to support Taiwan.
Seeing this, everyone may wonder, Taiwan's "countries with diplomatic relations" do not have Lithuania, ah, why did they run out of Taiwan?
Don't worry, go ahead.
Second, what kind of ghost is Lithuania?
Without further ado, let's take the picture first (please skip the king level).
Lithuanian location
Lithuania is located in eastern Europe, on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Belarus to the southeast, and the Russian enclaves of Kaliningrad Oblast and Poland to the southwest. Lithuania is associated with Latvia and Estonia to the north, and is known as the Baltic States.
Seeing this, everyone can't help but wonder, is it not fragrant for the three Baltic countries to emulate the three Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, finland) and live a "worldly and idyllic" life? It's not that simple.
On September 14, 1991, China established diplomatic relations with Lithuania. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, neutrality has always maintained good relations. In April 2019, Premier Li Keqiang held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Lithuania. In the same year, there were frequent exchanges between neutral high-level officials, and relations developed steadily.
According to data from China's Ministry of Commerce, in 2020, neutral trade volume was US$2.30 billion, an increase of 7.6% year-on-year, of which China's exports were US$1.81 billion, an increase of 6.5% year-on-year, and imports were US$490 million, an increase of 11.7% year-on-year.
However, in 2021, the situation has taken a sharp turn.
On May 20, 2021, the Lithuanian parliament passed a resolution falsely accusing China of committing so-called "genocide" in Xinjiang. Two days later, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Lance Bergs announced his withdrawal from the China-CEEC "17+1" cooperation mechanism, accusing China of "splitting" the EU.
In July, Lithuania announced the establishment of so-called "representative offices" with the Taiwan authorities. On August 10, according to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese government decided to recall the Chinese ambassador to Lithuania and asked the legislative government to recall the ambassador to China.
On November 18, in disregard of China's solemn protests and repeated representations, Lithuania allowed the Taiwan authorities to set up a "Taiwan Representative Office in Lithuania." The Chinese side expressed strong dissatisfaction and solemn protest in this regard and decided to downgrade the diplomatic relations between the neutral two countries to the level of chargé d'affaires.
Until this year, not long after Pelosi visited Taiwan, Lithuania immediately came to brush up its presence, which can be said to be a serious provocation by a small country to a big country.
Not only that, after the Russo-Ukrainian War, Lithuania, at the instigation of the United States, partially cut off the transportation of goods between Russia and Kaliningrad, banned any country, and used the country's railway system to transport goods to Kaliningrad, Russia, which can be called "the first person in Russia in EU hard steel" [cover his face]
Lithuania and Russia
As a small country with a population of less than 3 million, an area of only 65,000 square kilometers, no tanks and fighter jets, and an economy size of only 1/270 of China's, why dare to harden the two big countries of China and Russia at the same time, where do they come from? (Liang Jingru can't stay, I said)
The reason is simple, and you can guess it.
Lithuania has historically been occupied by and part of the Soviet Union, so Lithuania has a delicate relationship with Russia. It was too close to Russia, and I was really panicked. At the same time, China's "Belt and Road" initiative has also made it feel vigilant. What to do? Seek support from the United States and the European Union. This kind of "little brother out of the head" The United States and Europe are naturally willing to support, but they cannot be a big brother in vain, you have to express your position. Therefore, "anti-Russian" and "joint Taiwan" have done everything. To say that this "brother" is really honest enough, just do it! Other countries are at most verbally tough, what to do in private, after all, no one has a holiday with money. How the United States and Europe "support" at this time is in the hands of others, and it is really not uncommon in recent years to lose the wife and fold the army.
For Russia, Kaliningrad's blockade of the land and sea routes from Central and Western Europe to Russia is an important military base in the Baltic Sea, and Lithuania's blockade of Kaliningrad is bound to have serious consequences for the country. Given Russia's strong military performance in recent years, a blockade of Lithuania is not impossible.
For the mainland, Lithuania has repeatedly provoked the bottom line of continental sovereignty, and there must be countermeasures. In 2021, according to foreign media reports, the mainland is putting pressure on Lithuania's overseas partners to freeze import orders placed by partners on Lithuanian enterprises. This move had a certain impact on the Lithuanian economy and also greatly shocked its domestic top brass. However, Lithuania is too far from the mainland after all, the size of the interconnected economy is not large, and limited countermeasures cannot be a devastating blow to Lithuania. In this way, perhaps only through diplomatic means can it be effectively resolved. (Instead of condemning the protests, severing diplomatic relations is also possible)
Lithuanian "ghost", see if you can jump for a few days [a flash of inspiration]