Läänemets: Unclear why Kohtla-Järve's Chinese New Year event was necessary

While acknowledging the need for a clearer China policy, Minister of the Interior and Social Democratic Party (SDE) chair Lauri Läänemets admits he is puzzled by recent Chinese New Year celebrations organized in cooperation with the Chinese Embassy by Kohtla-Järve Mayor and fellow party member Henri Kaselo.
"It remains entirely unclear to me why it was necessary to hold this event," Läänemets told ERR. "And in both the Estonian and Kohtla-Järve contexts. And in light of the fact that the Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) has in fact also tried, via its yearbook and other formats, to highlight what China engaging in soft power influencing looks like."
This means establishing connections, he specified. "Establishing personal connections diminishes one's level of criticism," he explained. "When you're personally connected, it gets much harder to remain firm in situations where that may be warranted."
ERR asked Läänemets whether China uses cultural cooperation to further its broader objectives.
"It's certainly the case that [they are] seeking a sense of conciliation through these events," he replied. "At the same time, we have to acknowledge that the Republic of Estonia also supports its own cultural events in various countries, and for the same purpose. But our views on democracy may differ."
The minister said he also watched the mayor's comments on why this event was held and what explanations were provided.
"Clearly, Estonia's local governments and perhaps also Estonian politicians need more clarification regarding China — we should define Estonia's China policy more precisely," he stated.
"Ultimately, the public wants to know that, on one hand, we don't consider China a security threat in Estonia — China is not some aggressor state threatening Estonia," Läänemets explained.
"On the other hand, we know that China has its own interests and actions involved," he continued. "So how should we ultimately act? Is the China support group in the Riigikogu or local government cooperation with China, then, part of our policy or not? What's clear is that we have no reason whatsoever to sever relations with them. Even though [U.S. President] Donald Trump has said that greater protection is needed from China, the U.S. maintains robust economic cooperation with China."
Estonia's China policy could be more clearly defined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Perhaps public debate is also needed, so that we could understand where we should be more cautious and where we will continue our engagement," he added.
What threat, then, does China pose?
"Someone communicating with someone else, traveling to China or when Chinese people visit Estonia, or cooperating together do not pose a direct threat," the interior minister acknowledged.
"The issue is at a larger, more global scale," he continued. "We understand that major powers have interests, that major powers have interests in asserting themselves, and the interests of major powers —including China's interests — are more about where in the world major powers dominate, and dictate the prevailing world order."

As a small country, the SDE chief said, it's vital to Estonia that there should be balance in the world — that every country has equal rights, regardless of its budget, population or military size.
"That is the global level we need to watch," he said. "Now the question is how that's implemented in detail."
On some matters, perhaps it may not be so wise for Estonia to engage in such cooperation, he continued.
"For example, warnings have been issued regarding buying certain technology, and how Chinese authorities can access our personal data through that technology," he highlighted. "But on the other hand, certain other cooperation is very reasonable. In economic matters, we can't deny that China has a significant influence on the global economy."
Event held despite ISS, EFIS warnings
On the initiative of the Chinese Embassy, Chinese New Year celebrations were held in the Northeastern Estonian city of Kohtla-Järve on Sunday.
According to Kohtla-Järve Mayor Henri Kaselo (SDE), Sunday's event was cultural cooperation aimed at easing tensions in relations. Kaselo did not consider warnings from the Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) or the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Services (EFIS) regarding China's activities to be relevant in this case.
Photos from the event show Kohtla-Järve City Council chair and SDE MP Eduard Odinets posing alongside the Chinese ambassador.
In its most recent yearbook, the ISS states that the main intelligence threat to Estonia continues to come from the intelligence and security services of the Russian Federation and of the People's Republic of China.
The yearbook report also notes that one of China's key instruments in applying soft power, promoting an official narrative in various policy areas as well as improving China's image in Estonia, is the Chinese Embassy in Tallinn.
EFIS warned in its own most recent yearbook that the Communist Party-led People's Republic of China is deliberately undermining Western influence and pushing international relations toward a multipolar world order aligned with the principles and interests of authoritarian regimes.
On October 8, 2023, a Hong Kong-flagged vessel, the Newnew Polar Bear, damaged the Balticconnector undersea natural gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland. Last August, China acknowledged that the Newnew Polar Bear had caused the damage to the gas pipeline, but deemed it an accident.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Aili Vahtla