Riga Stradins University (RSU) reports that a NATO-backed study of Baltic-Chinese relations has concluded. This study focused on the public opinions of Baltic residents towards the far-away superpower.
In the last decade China’s economic, military and political authority has increased very rapidly. This superpower’s influence is felt in regions within which this country had minimal or non-existent cooperation in the past. In the past 30 years Baltic-Chinese relations have experienced both ups and downs, RSU stresses. The main points of disagreements mainly concern Taiwan, the Dalai Lama and Russia. Positives are mostly limited to unfulfilled hopes of wider economic cooperation.
Currently Baltic-Chinese relations are at their lowest point, and no improvement is expected in the near future.
Authors of NATO’s China’s Role and Perception in the Baltic States: Implications for National Security and NATO study look at the mutual relations between China and each individual Baltic States, as well as analyses nationally representative opinions of each country’s residents towards China.
According to results of the study performed in summer 2022, China in this region is mainly associated with its antique culture, economic and technological power, as well as authoritarianism and communism.
The opinion about China is the most negative – up to considering the country a threat to other countries – in Lithuania.
When asked about their opinion about China (positive to negative), more than 40% of respondents in Baltic States said their opinion of this country is neutral. The proportion of residents neutral to China is the highest in Latvia – 55%. Lithuanians and Estonians are more negative towards China.
Interesting trends surface when looking at respondents based on their native language. Russian-speakers in Latvia and Estonia tend to be more positive towards China than Latvian and Estonian-speakers in their respective countries. Latvian and Estonian-speakers are more keen to associate China with communism and authoritarianism, violation of human rights and threats to other countries.
Generally, authors of the study say that results of the sociological study correspond with existing Baltic-Chinese diplomatic relations. China has no external force in this region. This is why most Baltic residents do not pay attention to this country’s foreign policy.
Latvia’s situation was studied by RSU doctoral student Justine Kante. Postgraduate student of the University of Oxford Anniki Mikelsaar described the situation in Estonia and Dr. Vida Machikėnaitė from the International University of Japan described the situation in Lithuania. Editors of the publication include the head of the RSU China Study Centre, Doctor of Political Science assistant professor, Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova and Director of the Geopolitics Research Centre RSU Ass. Prof. Māris Andžāns.
«China’s successes and failures are well-known. Baltic residents are starting to pay more attention towards this country’s failures. This came about as a result of the recent dispute between Lithuania and China over Taiwan, as well as China’s support for Russia and Belarus,» stressed Māris Andžāns.
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