The foreign ministry says it will set up a representative office in Lithuania to promote ties with central European countries.
The official name is the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, making it the first office in Europe with the word “Taiwan” in it.
Lithuania is located in northeastern Europe and has a population of 2.8 million.
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Taiwan will set up the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania in its capital city of Vilnius.
Wu was wearing a face mask featuring the Formosan Black Bear and Lithuania’s national flag, a symbol of friendship between the two sides. During Taiwan’s vaccine shortage, Lithuania has promised to donate 20,000 vaccines to Taiwan.
Taiwan opened an office in Slovakia in 2003, now 18 years later, it is setting up a representative office in Lithuania.
Wu said Taiwan and Lithuania are on the frontline of safeguarding democracy. He believes that through shared values, people from the two countries will be able to have a positive influence in the world.
Lithuania established formal diplomatic ties with China in September 1991. This is the first time that Beijing has agreed to Taiwan setting up an office in its allied country.
Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wang Ting-yu says if the pattern of Lithuania’s double recognition of Taiwan and China continues, it will be positive for Taiwan’s diplomacy and China’s image as well.