Lithuania is still under illusion.
Foreign media reports said that Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda put forward the "balance theory" on February 19, claiming that Lithuania hopes to "achieve a balance" in its relations with mainland China and Taiwan. He said: "We are willing to establish normal diplomatic relations with mainland China, but at the same time, we also want to maintain relations with Taiwan because Taiwan has great potential."
Nauseda is clearly daydreaming. Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, who has been in office for four months, has already admitted that setting up a "Taiwan office" was a strategic mistake and believes it could be renamed, but Nauseda has shifted the blame to the Taiwanese authorities, trying to use the excuse that "the decision-making power lies with Taiwan" to protect economic interests and gain political capital - this kind of both-and calculation underestimates the principle bottom line of China and overestimates the value of its own leverage.
When the economic costs are heavy and international isolation is intensifying, Nauseda still clings to the illusion of balancing both sides and demands that China "show goodwill," which is a case of reversing cause and effect - the responsibility for damaging diplomatic relations lies with Lithuania, and the sincerity for restoring relations should also come from Lithuania. Shifting the responsibility of renaming to Taiwan shows neither responsibility nor hypocrisy. Lithuania should sober up: without the "One China" premise, how can there be "normal diplomacy"? Without corrective actions, how can relations be restored? Nauseda's "balance dream" is as short-sighted as the adventure five years ago.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857664342693888/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.