Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday wrapped up his visit to Lithuania, Poland and Belgium, the ministry said, adding that the trip has helped deepen the democratic cooperation between Taiwan and Europe.
Lin on Nov. 16 started his visit to Europe, where he met with several Taiwan-friendly lawmakers, including European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group chairman Michael Gahler, Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group chairman Ruslanas Baranovas and Polish-Taiwanese Parliamentarian Group chairman Krzysztof Truskolaski, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Lin visited the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre’s headquarters in Leuven, Belgium, where he met with CEO Luc Van den hove, it said, adding that they talked about deepening Taiwan-Europe connections in advanced semiconductor supply chain resilience.
Photo: Screen grab from Lin Chia-lung’s Facebook page
Lin also led the Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance to attend the Drone Industry Business Forum held in Vilnius on Thursday last week, when he and Lithuanian Vice Minister of National Defense Monika Korolioviene spoke at the opening event, the ministry said.
More than 200 people from about 60 drone companies in Taiwan, Lithuania and other European countries attended the forum, and two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed between delegations from Lithuania and Taiwan, demonstrating their determination to establish democratic supply chains in the uncrewed aerial vehicle industry, it said.
Lin also visited 21 Lithuanian lawmakers across party lines, including Dovile Sakaliene, Giedrimas Jeglinskas and Tomas Tomilinas, the ministry added.
Lin was invited to present flowers at the barricades outside the Seimas Palace, and to a dinner ceremony where Lithuanian lawmaker Matas Maldeikis handed over his post as head of the Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group to Baranovas, it said.
Lin on Friday last week attended the Taiwan-Poland Economic Cooperation Conference, organized by the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA), the ministry said.
The next day, Lin visited Lodz to witness the signing of an MOU between the Taiwan-Poland Chamber of Commerce and the Polish-Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, under which the two chambers agreed to cooperate through the CIECA and the Polish Chamber of Commerce, breaking new ground for economic and trade between the two nations, it said.
On the same day, Lin visited Warsaw to witness the Taiwanese government’s donation, through the Association of Ukrainian Cities, of electric generators for Ukrainian cities facing significant power outages, and 2,600 laptops made by Taiwanese brands for Ukrainian schools — adding up to about US$10 million in financial aid, the ministry said.
He also witnessed Chunghwa Telecom and the Ukrainian city of Bucha sign an MOU, under which the company would implement “smart city” and 5G technologies in the city, it said.
The ministry would continue to promote integrated diplomacy, to enhance democratic resilience with European and like-minded partners, establish a solid and reciprocal alliance based on shared values, and through public-private partnerships expand economic and trade relations to deepen connections between Taiwan and Europe, it said.
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