Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Saturday thanked Lithuania for its support of Taiwan, saying that both countries are united as partners in defending democracy.
Speaking at a reception organized by the Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group welcoming her on her first visit to the Baltic state, Tsai said that while she was president from 2016 to last year, many Lithuanian “friends” visited Taiwan.
“And I told myself I have to be here. I am very happy that I am here, a wonderful country and wonderful people,” Tsai said.
Photo courtesy of Tsai Ing-wen’s office
Taiwan and Lithuania are in similar situations as both are neighbors to authoritarian countries, she said, referring to China and Russia respectively.
“Despite the threats from outside, we both thrived and developed our economies and became defenders of democracy,” she said.
Taiwan and Lithuania are also united by shared values of freedom, human rights and the rule of law, and both stand united against threats and challenges from their authoritarian neighbors, she added.
Tsai praised the Baltic state as an example showing that even small countries can make a difference with “principles and bravery,” referring to Beijing’s strong opposition to warming relations between Taipei and Vilnius.
The rift between Lithuania and China began in 2021, following the inclusion of “Taiwanese” in the name of Taiwan’s representative office in Vilnius.
Beijing strongly objected, as such offices in countries with which Taiwan does not have diplomatic ties typically do not use “Taiwan” or “Taiwanese” in their names, which would imply that Taiwan is a sovereign country.
China responded by recalling its ambassador to Vilnius, expelling Lithuania’s ambassador to Beijing, suspending direct freight rail service to Lithuania and severely restricting Lithuanian exports’ access to the Chinese market.
Although Lithuania restored diplomatic links with China after a new government assumed power in December last year, it still insisted on not changing the name of Taiwan’s representative office.
Tsai arrived in Lithuania early on Saturday as part of the first leg of her Europe trip that also includes Denmark.
Her first stop in the Baltic state was to visit Leafood, a vertical farming company that produces sustainable leafy greens, partially established with Taiwanese funding.
While in Lithuania, the former president was also to deliver a speech at Vilnius University and speak with former Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite, who was in office from 2009 to 2019.
After concluding her visit to the Baltic nation, Tsai is to travel to Denmark to speak at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, which starts tomorrow and ends on Wednesday.
The trip is Tsai’s second visit to Europe after leaving office in May last year, completing two four-year terms. She visited the Czech Republic, France and Belgium in October last year.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
RSS