2021-07-20
Taiwan is Setting up its Representative Office in Lithuania
Regarding the establishment of a “Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania” in its capital of Vilnius, DPP Spokesperson Peifen Hsieh stated today (20th) that this is the first time after an 18-year interval that Taiwan has set up a representative office in Europe since the establishment of an office in Slovakia in 2003. The representative office demonstrates the friendly relationship between Taiwan and Lithuania. The DPP thanks the front-line diplomat for their efforts in breaking through various difficulties to make this friendship possible and looks forward to closer exchanges between the two countries in the future.
Spokesperson Hsieh said that Taiwan and Lithuania share similar values. The current Lithuanian government adopts a “value-based foreign policy” to support global democracy, freedom, and human rights, which aligns with the values of Taiwan. In an interview in April this year, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis showed concern for Chinese military aircraft interference with Taiwan. For two consecutive years, more than half of the Lithuanian Parliament has jointly signed a letter to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyeses, supporting Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA). This year, Lithuania even publicly voiced its support for Taiwan at the WHA for the first time.
Spokesperson Hsieh further said that Taiwan donated 100,000 medical masks to Lithuania in April last year. Last month, Lithuania announced that it would donate 20,000 doses of the AZ vaccine to Taiwan. Landsbergis even tweeted that although vaccine supply was limited, Lithuania shows “solidarity with the Taiwanese in combating the COVID-19,” arousing enthusiastic responses. To express gratitude, Taiwanese people responded with a large number of donations to social welfare organizations in Lithuania. The goodwill between the two countries has become well-known internationally. The Minister of the Economy and Innovation of Lithuania, Ausrine Armonaite, previously said that the country was planning to set up a representative office in Taiwan this fall and stressed that they are not worried about Chinese sanctions, showing Lithuania’s determination to make friends with Taiwan.
Spokesperson Hsieh emphasized that, as Minister Landsbergis said before, “freedom-loving people should look out for each other.” Lithuania’s actions have warmed the hearts of the Taiwanese people. The DPP sincerely thanks the Lithuanian executive and legislative branches, as well as its people, for being friendly to Taiwan. The DPP looks forward to the establishment of the “Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania” and hopes that after jointly overcoming the epidemic, the people of the two countries will be able to achieve a higher level of friendship, have more interactions, and work together based on democracy, freedom, and human rights.
