A strong cooperative relationship with Taiwan is Lithuania’s priority and a successful example for European countries to follow, Lithuanian Parliament Speaker Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen said yesterday.
As the first sitting speaker of the Seimas to visit Taiwan, Cmilyte-Nielsen is leading a delegation comprising Lithuanian officials, Seimas staff and representatives from the Lithuanian business sector on a trip to Taiwan that ends tomorrow.
During a luncheon presided over by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Cmilyte-Nielsen said that Lithuania values its relations with Taiwan as it is a “like-minded frontline democracy.”
Photo: CNA
The collaboration between the two sides is “built on solid ground, mutual trust and common values,” including freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights, she said.
Lithuania’s cooperation with Taiwan is serving as “a litmus test for many countries in Europe,” and should prove that “democracies working together strengthen each other and offer tangible results for the common good of the people,” she said.
She underlined the importance of democracies uniting around the globe at a time when aggressive authoritarian regimes are threatening the international rules-based order.
The future of this order “is largely decided in Ukraine today,” she said, acknowledging Taiwan’s support to Ukraine and calling on democracies worldwide to “stand firmly on Ukraine’s side.”
Lithuania and Taiwan have cooperated more closely over the past two years, Cmilyte-Nielsen said, expressing confidence in developing greater mutually beneficial cooperation with Taiwan.
Business representatives joined the delegation because there is more potential to unlock regarding business and economic cooperation, she said.
Lithuania considers Taiwan “an important partner” in semiconductors, laser technologies and other high added-value sectors, she said.
“We could well become Taiwan’s gateway to Europe,” she added.
Tsai thanked the eastern European country for “prioritizing and supporting Taiwan,” including by stating that it seeks to “enhance practical cooperation with Taiwan” in the Indo-Pacific strategy it published in July.
The Seimas and the Lithuanian government have repeatedly and publicly supported Taiwan’s international participation, demonstrating their firm support for democratic partners, she said.
Taiwan and Lithuania have made “substantive progress” in bilateral relations over the past few years, Tsai said, citing the opening of representative offices in each other’s countries as an example.
Taiwan has assisted Lithuania in building its semiconductor capacity, while the two sides are also expanding cooperation in areas such as the laser industry and biotechnology, she said.
Regarding economy and trade, Taiwan continues to leverage the Central and Eastern Europe Investment Fund, which was launched by the Cabinet’s National Development Fund in March last year, to bolster ties with Lithuania, Tsai said.
The businesses and associations that joined the delegation could help to deepen cooperation between Taiwan and Lithuania in the fields of finance and digital technology, she said.
The two sides would continue to reinforce each other’s economic resilience, strengthen their partnership and contribute to global peace and prosperity, she said.
Separately, Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said he hoped Taiwan and Lithuania could further deepen cooperation on security, scientific research and development, and economy and trade.
Lithuanian beer has become popular in Taiwan, and Taiwan has begun importing Lithuanian beef, dairy products and aquatic products, Lai said, adding that closer economic and trade cooperation could bring greater trust and exchanges between peoples.
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), who met the delegation in the afternoon, praised Lithuania as “a staunch role model for freedom and democracy and an inspiration for democracy-loving people around the world.”
Chen said he hoped to see more bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector after Cmilyte-Nielsen signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Taiwan on medical and healthcare cooperation.
She is also to sign an MOU on avoiding double taxation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
At a news conference later yesterday, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫?) thanked the Seimas for its warm hospitality when he visited last year.
Cmilyte-Nielsen is a practitioner of democracy, refusing to bow down to authoritarian pressure to refrain from strengthening ties with Taiwan, You said.
Asked whether the delegation’s visit had encountered opposition from China, Cmilyte-Nielsen said that Lithuania’s “success in expanding our economic and human ties with Taiwan is not directed against any country,” so the visit should not “prompt any warnings.”
Cmilyte-Nielse was also asked what concrete actions the international community could take to help deter a potential war in the Taiwan Strait.
She said that democracies around the world have a responsibility to become more resilient and assertive to safeguard the rules-based international order, such as by continuing to support Ukraine.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old