By Yao Chieh-hsiu, Chen Yun and William Hetherington / Staff reporters, with staff writer
A delegation led by Lithuanian Parliament Speaker Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen last night arrived in Taiwan, the highest-level official from a Baltic country to visit Taiwan to date.
Ciliate-Nielsen was greeted at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport by Legislative Speaker You Si-kun. The delegation is today to attend a banquet hosted by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
Cmilyte-Nielsen was joined by Lithuanian Vice Minister of Finance Vaida Markeviciene, chief of staff to the speaker Lukas Kornelijus Vaiciakas, chief foreign policy adviser to the speaker Rolandas Kacinskas, Lithuanian International Relations Unit Director Snieguole Ziukaite and Lithuanian Financial Market Policy Department deputy head Vilma Macerauskiene, among others.
Photo: Tony Yao, Taipei Times
Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) yesterday expressed the office’s “sincere welcome” to the delegation, and referred to Cmilyte-Nielsen as a “solid friend” of Taiwan in Europe.
The president is to discuss economic cooperation with the delegation and exchange views on Indo-Pacific regional security, she said.
The visit follows an earlier delegation to Taiwan in January led by Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the Lithuanian Seimas’ Committee on National Security and Defense, as well as a Baltic states parliamentary delegation on Aug. 10, which included Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian officials.
“Taiwan and Lithuania are international partners who share universal values such as democracy and freedom,” Lin said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lithuania made two donations of vaccines to Taiwan, which is a good example of the circle of good that exists among global democratic partners.”
Taiwan is working to expand and diversify cooperation and exchanges with European countries to create a more resilient global democratic network, she said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Taiwan and Lithuania share a strong friendship, citing Lithuania’s hosting of You in Vilnius in July last year.
Cmilyte-Nielsen also demonstrated this friendship when she spoke up for Taiwan following former US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei last year, when China conducted military drills and missile launches around Taiwan, the ministry said.
During her visit to Taiwan this week, Cmilyte-Nielsen is expected to speak at the Legislative Yuan, where she is to receive a Medal of Honor from You, it said.
The delegation is also expected to visit the Ultrafast Laser Technology Research and Innovation Center as part of talks on economic cooperation, it said.
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