Marketing agency Enterprise Lithuania is seeking to help companies from the Baltic country sell their products in Taiwan through Taipei-based e-commerce platform PChome Online Inc (網路家庭), the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
Companies that would take part in Enterprise Lithuania’s initiative from the spring of next year would be announced later this month, said Rasa Uzdavinyte, who heads the agency’s export department.
The nonprofit agency is run by the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy and Innovation. It promotes entrepreneurship, and supports business development and exporters.
The selection of companies and establishment of a logistics network would continue until the initiative begins, Uzdavinyte said.
“Lithuania’s exports to Taiwan have been small so far, and several Lithuanian products for general consumption are gaining ground in this market, especially Lithuanian food and beverage brands,” she said.
Uzdavinyte also expressed hope that the initiative would help expand the range of Lithuanian products available in Taiwan.
Taiwanese would hopefully associate the country with high quality, good taste and sustainability, she said.
“We believe that Lithuanian food and beverage products, cosmetics, clothing and textiles should be in demand in Taiwan,” Uzdavinyte said.
Taiwan is one of the highest-developed economies in the world and its population has significant purchasing power, she said, calling the Taiwanese market one of the most attractive export destinations in Asia.
Taiwanese are interested in trying new products, Uzdavinyte said, adding that the nation’s interest in Western culture would benefit Lithuanian exporters.
However, as there is little awareness among Taiwanese about what Lithuania has to offer, Enterprise Lithuania is planning a series of marketing events focused on the strengths of Lithuanian businesses, she said.
Data from the Lithuanian Department of Statistics showed that exports to Taiwan totaled 10 million euros (US$11.24 billion) in the first half of this year, up 7.2 percent from the same period last year.
Optical devices accounted for the largest share of exports at 24 percent, followed by wood and wood products at 22 percent, chemical products at 17 percent and food products at 6 percent, the data showed.
Chemical and basic metal products, machinery equipment, clothing and textiles, and food products have significant potential to gain traction in the Taiwanese market, the agency said.
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