The Baltic States in Taiwan's Post-Cold War 'Flexible Diplomacy'

Abstract

To say that the study of the Baltic states' role in Taiwan's post-Cold War foreign relations has received little academic attention would be an understatement. So far, students of ROC foreign relations have briefly mentioned Taiwanese-Baltic ties in the context of Taipei's relations with Russia or (more rarely) Europe, while those researching the Baltic states' diplomacy have failed altogether to notice their activities in Asia, focusing instead on their foreign policies towards each other, Russia, the European Union (EU) and the United States. This article is intended to fill the gap in our knowledge of the Baltic states' interaction with both parts of the divided China. Specifically, it aims to accomplish two tasks, namely, to examine and assess the motives, execution and outcome of the Taiwanese diplomatic offensive in the Baltic region in the post-Cold War period and to identify the Baltic states' responses to the ROC's and PRC's diplomatic initiatives. It will argue that Taipei's 'flexible' diplomatic strategy in the Baltic region ended up in a qualified failure as it did not attain its ultimate goal, i.e., the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Baltic states, but led to 'substantive' ties (shizhi guanxi) with at least two Baltic states: Latvia and Lithuania. Its 'dollar diplomacy', promising the would-be allies substantial financial assistance, turned out to be a 'diplomacy of big promises', as Taipei did not hurry with its economic aid to the only Baltic state that responded positively to its advances, Latvia. Riga's decision to cancel the consular treaty with Taipei in mid- 1994 terminated Taiwanese hopes that other Baltic states (if not other Soviet Union successor states) would follow the Latvian example and establish parallel official ties with both parts of the divided China. By the mid- 1990s all Baltic states-like other European countries-chose to adhere to a 'one China' principle, while welcoming Taiwanese investment and trade.