TAIPEI (The China Post) — Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) announced on Tuesday at a virtual press conference that the Taiwanese Representative Office will be established in Lithuania.
According to Wu, the office will be set up in Lithuania’s capital city of Vilnius and it will be the first representative office in Europe named “Taiwan” instead of “Taipei”, while the rest of the representative offices in Europe remain unchanged.
The first representative office named “Taiwan” is the office in Somaliland, Wu added.
He also called the move “very significant”, as it demonstrates Taiwan’s progress to continue expanding its relations with the European countries.
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT, 美國在臺協會) later approved this through an official statement.
AIT released an official statement applauding the establishment, saying that “All countries should be free to pursue closer ties and greater cooperation with Taiwan, a leading democracy, a major economy, and a force for good in the world.”
AIT also spoke on behalf of the United States, stressing that it remains committed to supporting Taiwan in a manner consistent with the U.S. “one China” policy as Taiwan strengthens its international partnerships and works to address global challenges.
This includes COVID-19, investment screening, and supply chain resilience, being part of the allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values around the world, the AIT said.
Lithuania is a country located in the Baltic region, with a population of 2.8 million, excelling in communication and information technology industries.
It is also a member state of the European Union (EU), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
