Speaker of the Seimas: ‘Democracies working closely together bring concrete benefits to their people’

Press release, 23 October 2023 

Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, who is currently leading a Lithuanian business delegation in Taiwan, has stressed that our country appreciates its ties with Taiwan, which professes the same values as Lithuania. Cooperation between democracies is particularly important at a time when the world order based on international law is becoming fragmented.

‘The relations between our countries are gaining momentum and there is much to be appreciated, but I believe we can do more and do it faster. Business and economy are areas offering many opportunities for cooperation. It is therefore no coincidence that I have come to Taiwan with a business delegation,’ Ms Čmilytė-Nielsen noted.

Photos: Office of the President, ROC (Taiwan)

According to the Speaker of the Seimas, Lithuania considers Taiwan to be a valuable partner, especially with reference to the semiconductor and laser technology and other sectors with high added-value.

‘Lithuania also has a lot to offer, while our technology and innovation sector is growing fast. It is my wish for the relations between Lithuania and Taiwan to become a success story. Joint action must demonstrate that democracies working closely together bring concrete benefits to their people as well,’ said Ms Čmilytė-Nielsen at the meeting with Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan.

The Speaker of the Seimas says that Lithuania’s relations with Taiwan are part of Lithuania’s broader Indo-Pacific Strategy. ‘This Strategy is a new and important step towards strengthening Lithuania’s cooperation with the region. We are now in an active phase of networking, having opened diplomatic representations in Seoul, Singapore and Australia,’ Ms Čmilytė-Nielsen said.

Opportunities for economic cooperation and Taiwanese assistance to Lithuania in implementing Ukraine’s reconstruction projects have also been discussed today with Lai Ching-te, Vice President of Taiwan, and Dr Chen Chien-jen, Premier of the Executive Yuan of Taiwan. In addition, the Lithuanian business delegation has also held some B2B meetings in the Taiwan Tech Arena.

Tomorrow, the Speaker of the Seimas and the business delegation under her leadership will participate in a B2B seminar with the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC) in Taipei. They will also have a tour at the Ultrafast Laser Technology Research and Innovation Center and a visit at the Parliament.

The Lithuanian business mission in Taiwan will continue until 25 October.

Photos by Olga Posaškova, Office of the Seimas

Ilona Petrovė, Spokesperson for Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6030, mob. +370 698 42071, e-mail: [email protected], www.lrs.lt