The European Union recently announced that it will suspend the lawsuit against China for restricting Lithuanian trade. After this news broke, Lithuania was caught in a dilemma. This originated from Lithuania's unauthorized permission to set up a "Taiwan Representative Office" in Lithuania, which triggered a strong reaction from China.
Now that the EU no longer defends Lithuania, its ability to resolve its trade dispute with China will determine the fate of the small Baltic state.
In 2021, Lithuania ignored China's opposition and insisted on allowing a "Taiwan representative office" to be set up in the capital.
In response, China suspended trade with Lithuania
In the face of China's tough stance, the EU filed a lawsuit with the WTO, accusing China of restricting the import of Lithuanian products. But this move is also just a gesture, and the EU does not want to affect relations with China because of a small country.
China's resolute boycott of Lithuanian products has never changed, and the EU lawsuit has been at a stalemate.
Now, the European Union has announced a "moratorium" on the lawsuit. According to WTO rules, if the lawsuit is not resumed within one year, it means that the lawsuit is withdrawn.
For Lithuania, this is a dilemma. On the one hand, if we want to resume trade with China, we must make concessions and take back the "Taiwan representative office."
However, this is bound to meet with strong opposition from the US and Taiwan forces. On the other hand, if the confrontation continues, the Lithuanian economy will be even worse. As a small country, there is a limit to what it can afford.
In fact, Lithuania's move was wrong. Giving in on an issue of principle cannot simply be equated with capitulation.
We understand Lithuania's desire to establish close relations with the West, but it should also see the situation clearly,
We hope that all parties concerned will remain rational and goodwill and achieve a solution to the relevant issues through dialogue and consultation.
The restoration of neutral relations is conducive to Lithuania's economic and social development and will also contribute to regional peace and stability. Let us focus on the common interests of both sides in a spirit of friendship and jointly create a bright future of mutually beneficial cooperation.