Agencies: Lithuania has enraged China by cozying up to Taiwan, quitting a Chinese-led diplomatic forum and telling its officials to scrap certain Chinese phones that it says carry censorship software.
In response, Beijing has recalled its ambassador, halted trips by a Chinese cargo train into the country and made it nearly impossible for many Lithuanian exporters to sell their goods in China. Chinese state media assailed Lithuania and accused it of being the “anti-China vanguard” in Europe. Its role as a transit corridor for goods heading to Europe makes it important to Beijing.
Lithuania has caused enough of a stink that its fellow members in the European Union are expected to discuss the situation at a meeting next week. Nothing could be worse for Beijing than if other countries followed Lithuania’s example.
