Foreign minister: The purpose of 'soft power' is to create division

Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) criticized the Chinese New Year celebrations held this weekend and said it was disheartening to see events funded by China. He said "soft power" aims to create division.
On Monday, ERR reported a Chinese New Year's party was held in Kohtla-Järve in Ida-Viru County by the local government and funded by the Chinese embassy in Estonia. Photos show Eduard Odinets, chairman of the council and member of the SDE Riigikogu faction, posing next to the Chinese ambassador.
In the past, Estonia's security services have said China is a threat to Estonia and this includes soft power activities, such as cultural events. China also tacitly supports Russia's war in Ukraine.
Tsahkna was very critical of the Social Democrats, which lead the coalition in Kohtla-Järve and is a junior member of the government coalition alongside Eesti 200 and Reform.
"It was very sad to see how the city government led by the Social Democratic Party celebrated with Chinese funding and spoke of peace. In that sense, there is no such thing as a free lunch. I would certainly now expect a clear position from SDE. This kind of vague rhetoric is what divides us and weakens our positions. So, it is not a pleasant story," the foreign minister told ERR.
SDE leader and Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets suggested earlier on Monday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could develop a more specific China policy.

Tsahkna said a policy already exists. "We have a very clear China policy, and Läänemets, as a member of the government and interior minister, is certainly familiar with it. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is always ready to share its experiences and interpretations. But we recently addressed the issue of MPs visiting China, which caused significant public outrage, partly due to funding by the Chinese state. In general, I believe common sense should be the first guidebook for politicians," the minister commented.
"Of course, we can reiterate all these basic principles, but the most fundamental truth is that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Therefore, New Year's celebrations should be organized with our own money," he added.
"If we delve into the content and listen to the statements of the SDE's mayor, we hear a peace narrative suggesting that everything can be achieved through peace and nothing with clenched fists. But at the same time, we see what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is doing in Ukraine, and these two things simply do not align. This is precisely the kind of soft power that weakens us from within. We must not allow it to quietly seep in; we need to be very clear in our positions, and fortunately, most Estonians understand this. These 'soft measures' are exactly what can erode our collective positions," Tsahkna said.
"The Social Democratic Party is part of the government and bears significant responsibility for Estonia's internal security. And now we're discussing whether they are dancing to China's tune or not. This is already troubling, not to mention this so-called peace narrative where everyone is in favor of peace. Unfortunately, Putin has not changed his goals, and we must support Ukraine militarily so they can resist. Estonia doesn't need these narrative disputes," Tsahkna added.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Helen Wright