Whenever the three Baltic republics-Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia－take collective diplomatic actions in Europe, they are showing their willingness to act as the United States' pawns in confronting Russia.

They are now transplanting the same model to East Asia by trying to make waves in relation to the Taiwan question to provoke the Chinese mainland.

Following on the heels of some US lawmakers, the three countries sent members of their parliaments to visit the Chinese island late last month.

The three republics should know it is not that easy for small countries to take part in the geopolitical games among big countries.

The last time they tried to climb on the world stage together was against the backdrop of the Soviet Union's collapse.

The Baltic Sea is far from being a core interest of the US. The reason why the three Baltic republics, with Lithuania leading the way, are always eager to jump into the middle of the great power games is they fear being ignored and abandoned. Their deep sense of anxiety has manifested itself in an extreme way this time in attempting to prove their existence by getting involved in the faraway Taiwan Straits.

The US' strategic contraction in Europe and its pivoting to the Asia-Pacific have convinced the three countries that they are being marginalized on Washington's chessboard.

Playing the Taiwan card demonstrates their shared intention of proving to Washington that they are still of value to it.

It will be as clear to Washington as it is to Beijing that they are overestimating their roles on the Taiwan question.

- BEIJING NEWS