Lithuania, a country located on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, has recently shone on the international stage again. The focus is on its resolute withdrawal from the "17+1" cross-regional cooperation mechanism initiated by China and CEE countries. Behind this move are deep historical roots and complex international political considerations. This country, although small, stands out for its unexpected uniqueness.
Although Lithuania has a territory of only 65,300 square kilometers, which is only a small part of China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, it has a population of only 2.96 million, which is slightly larger than China's Kunshan County. But its GDP per capita is close to $20,000, almost twice that of China. Such an economic performance is amazing. Despite its limited land area, Lithuania is comparable to developed countries in terms of GDP per capita.
However, understanding Lithuania inevitably traces its long and tortuous history. At one time, Lithuania was part of a vast country, covering an area of 1 million square kilometers, covering parts of present-day Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Poland, Moldova and Russia. However, after a series of setbacks, such as the annexation of Poland, the annexation of the Russian Empire, the German occupation, and the annexation to the Soviet Union, Lithuania did not regain its independence until March 11, 1990. However, at the time of the "restoration", only 6 of the original land remained5%, weakened and struggling.
Today, Lithuania, with its beautiful landscapes, numerous churches and relatively high GDP per capita, should be a country with a high happiness index. Surprisingly, however, Lithuania faces a high suicide rate. Experts attribute this to the long winters and scarcity of sunshine, but this explanation may not be complete. Separated by thousands of kilometers from China, Lithuania has no historical grievances with China and no territorial disputes. Lithuanians are interested in Chinese culture, especially well-cooked Chinese food. Relations between the two countries were once cordial, but in the late Trump era, the spread of the US-China war spread to Lithuania. The Lithuanian Bureau listed China as a major security threat in its annual security report, which became the beginning of a deterioration in bilateral relations.
There are also reasons why Lithuania has opted out of the "17+1" cooperation mechanism. On the one hand, Lithuania has established strong relations with the EU and NATO, stands on the front line of anti-Russia, supports and allows NATO troops to be stationed. Therefore, they see Russia as the main challenge, and China has good relations with Russia, so Lithuania chooses to be anti-China and anti-Russian. On the other hand, Lithuania is in the current international political background of the United States' hardline anti-China politics, and in order to find a foothold in international politics, it chooses to side with the United States and stand side by side against China.
At the same time, Lithuania has also chosen to abandon cooperation with China and hopes to rely entirely on the EU for development. Regarding the "17+1" mechanism proposed by China, Lithuania believes that this has led to the EU's **, and advocates the construction of a "27+1" model, which is premised on the unity of EU member states. This voluntary move to abandon China's cooperation may be a choice made by Lithuania in order to gain more support in the EU.
Lithuania's choice deserves our deep reflection and evaluation, especially in the current international political situation. Finding its own foothold in international relations and weighing the pros and cons is a difficult problem facing Lithuania. Whether the choice is made for strategic or political reasons, it will have far-reaching consequences in the future.
In this era of globalization, cooperation and choice among countries are related to their respective development and stability. Whether Lithuania's withdrawal from the "17+1" mechanism is just a temporary move or a trend will need to be watched closely. The changing dynamics of international politics have made every small country face complex choices, and Lithuania has chosen to stick to its values, but it may also pay some price.
Overall, Lithuania's experience and choices provide us with an interesting and enlightening case. It shows us that even countries on the margins of the global landscape can find their place in international affairs through independent thinking and skillful trade-offs. Perhaps, this is also a useful reference for other countries, prompting them to treat international relations more rationally and safeguard their own long-term interests.