A delegation led by Lithuanian Parliament Speaker Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen last night arrived in Taiwan, the highest-level official from a Baltic country to visit Taiwan to date.
Ciliate-Nielsen was greeted at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport by Legislative Speaker You Si-kun. The delegation is today to attend a banquet hosted by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
Cmilyte-Nielsen was joined by Lithuanian Vice Minister of Finance Vaida Markeviciene, chief of staff to the speaker Lukas Kornelijus Vaiciakas, chief foreign policy adviser to the speaker Rolandas Kacinskas, Lithuanian International Relations Unit Director Snieguole Ziukaite and Lithuanian Financial Market Policy Department deputy head Vilma Macerauskiene, among others.
Photo: Tony Yao, Taipei Times
Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) yesterday expressed the office’s “sincere welcome” to the delegation, and referred to Cmilyte-Nielsen as a “solid friend” of Taiwan in Europe.
The president is to discuss economic cooperation with the delegation and exchange views on Indo-Pacific regional security, she said.
The visit follows an earlier delegation to Taiwan in January led by Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the Lithuanian Seimas’ Committee on National Security and Defense, as well as a Baltic states parliamentary delegation on Aug. 10, which included Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian officials.
“Taiwan and Lithuania are international partners who share universal values such as democracy and freedom,” Lin said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lithuania made two donations of vaccines to Taiwan, which is a good example of the circle of good that exists among global democratic partners.”
Taiwan is working to expand and diversify cooperation and exchanges with European countries to create a more resilient global democratic network, she said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Taiwan and Lithuania share a strong friendship, citing Lithuania’s hosting of You in Vilnius in July last year.
Cmilyte-Nielsen also demonstrated this friendship when she spoke up for Taiwan following former US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei last year, when China conducted military drills and missile launches around Taiwan, the ministry said.
During her visit to Taiwan this week, Cmilyte-Nielsen is expected to speak at the Legislative Yuan, where she is to receive a Medal of Honor from You, it said.
The delegation is also expected to visit the Ultrafast Laser Technology Research and Innovation Center as part of talks on economic cooperation, it said.
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
BUDGET WOES: KMT lawmakers said they would propose cutting or eliminating the entire funding for the sub project, while a TPP legislator said she would opt to freeze it The harbor acceptance test (HAT) for the Hai Kun (海鯤), or “Narwhal,” an indigenous defense submarine (IDS) prototype, is nearly complete and the vessel is expected to be delivered to the navy before the end of next year as scheduled, the navy said yesterday. The HAT for the IDS prototype is 83 to 85 percent complete, Republic of China Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee. This would be followed by a sea acceptance test (SAT), which is expected to begin in April next year and conclude
NO CONDITIONS: Beijing’s calls on Washington to block a stopover by President Lai are ‘outrageous and unacceptable’ interference in US internal affairs, US lawmakers said Five US representatives on Friday called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to not impose conditions on President William Lai (賴清德) should he make a stopover in US territory during his trip to the South Pacific. The representatives also urged US President Joe Biden to “consider meeting personally with Mr Lai during his visit.” The letter was signed by US representatives Tom Tiffany, Andy Ogles, Chris Smith, Scott Perry and Lance Gooden about a week before Lai is scheduled to make his first official overseas visit since taking office on May 20. Lai is to travel to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and
RSS