China | Bullying a Balt

Lithuania sees threats from two big powers: Russia and China

Russia is bombing one European democracy; China is boycotting another

|VILNIUS

“CHINA SHOULDN’T get riled by Lithuania at all,” one of China’s best-known nationalist commentators, Hu Xijin, opined on his social-media account. “It’s a snotty little country—just not worth it.” The Chinese government is paying no heed. As Russia invades one European democracy, China is boycotting another. Ukraine’s offence was to be an independent country. Lithuania’s was to give Taiwan an opportunity to hint that it is.

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Bullying a Balt”

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