Visiting Lithuanian lawmaker Laurynas Kasciunas on Thursday underscored the need for cooperation between Vilnius and Taipei, during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (???) in Taipei.
According to a press statement issued by the Presidential Office after the meeting, Kasciunas, who chairs the Lithuanian parliament’s national security and defense committee, said his ongoing visit was meant to explore more opportunities for cooperation between Taiwan and Lithuania.
He went on to say that the two sides could work together in the areas of security, national defense, economics and trade, as well as investment, the statement said.
Kasciunas, who arrived in Taiwan on Monday for a six-day visit, is leading a nine-person bipartisan parliamentarian delegation that also includes Dovile Sakaliene, deputy head of the Lithuanian Parliamentary Group for Relations with Taiwan, and Audronius Azubalis, deputy chairman of the Committee on European Affairs.
In terms of trade and investment, Kasciunas went on, Vilnius requires Taipei’s help, adding that Lithuania could help Taiwan expand into new markets, the statement said.
Lithuania has in recent years urged Taiwan to import more Lithuanian products, as it came under increasing economic pressure from Beijing over the opening of a reciprocal representative office in each other’s capital.
In particular, China has taken the issue with the naming of Taiwan’s office in Vilnius — the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania — inaugurated on Nov. 18, 2021.
Taiwan typically names its overseas representative offices “Taipei Economic and Cultural Office” or “Taipei Representative Office,” in keeping with the host countries’ preference to avoid any references that would imply Taiwan is a separate country from China.
In response, Beijing degraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania in 2021, and has, according to Vilnius, suspended imports of Lithuanian products, such as beef, dairy and beer.
Referring to Beijing’s retaliatory measures, Kasciunas told Tsai that Lithuania has experienced “pressure” and “sanctions,”but the Baltic nation wishes to demonstrate to the world that it can “freely make decisions” and work with other countries, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Sakaliene said Lithuanian people understood the threat and pressure Taiwan faces from China, as they have fought to move from a Soviet state to a democratic nation, according to the statement.
She went on to say that China’s assertiveness could be a problem not just for its neighbors, but also for the entire world, the statement said.
In her remarks, Tsai said the delegation’s visit to Taipei from Jan. 9-14 is significant for Taipei-Vilnius relations and could pave the way for cooperation in security affairs.
The president added that in the face of authoritarian expansion, Taiwan looks forward to furthering its partnerships with “democratic allies” across the world in the hope of bolstering “the resilience of democracy.”
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel