“The China Threat Is Long Term, Getting Bigger, EU Sees That; India Ties Are A Logical Trend”

NEW DELHI: On ‘The Gist‘, Matas Maldeikis, Member of Lithuania’s Parliament and the Head of the Parliamentary groups for relations with Taiwan and democratic Russia in conversation with StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi.

“We see Russia as a short term threat that needs to be taken care of because of its military action. For China, we look at the longer perspective,” Mr. Maldeikis says, while pointing out that “China is trying to split the European Union.” The Lithuanian MP argues the “biggest trigger for China’s bad relationship with Lithuania was not about the Taiwan office opening in Vilnius. It was about Lithuania getting out of the 17+1 format,” while adding “we want the European Union to talk in one voice with China because we understand the threat from China is becoming bigger and bigger. We have to understand that and the EU sees that.” He underscores a German poll describing it as “unbelievable. Germany, whose business is so much dependent on China looks only 6% positively to China. The shift is happening very, very rapidly.” On the Ukraine invasion, Mr. Maldeikis says, “we are watching what India’s stand will be in the relationship between Russia and China,” adding New Delhi’s decision to open an embassy in Vilnius is “logical. We see India as a balancer to China.”