Lithuania and Taiwan resume talks on economic cooperation action plan

Lithuania has resumed negotiations with Taiwan’s representative office on an economic cooperation action plan following a change in government, reports LRT citing BNS.

The talks were temporarily paused in June amid a cabinet reshuffle by the Social Democrats. The Foreign Ministry confirmed this week that discussions are now underway to finalise the plan, which aims to strengthen economic ties and support Lithuania’s high-tech sectors.

“Strengthening economic cooperation with Taiwan aligns with Lithuania’s long-term foreign policy goals. The current focus is on establishing stable economic relations that contribute to the development of Lithuania’s high-tech industries,” the ministry stated. Specific details of the action plan remain undisclosed during ongoing consultations.

Lithuania’s position on Taiwan remains unchanged, with the country seeking to deepen practical cooperation in mutually beneficial areas such as trade, business, education, science, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. The ministry noted that such collaboration aligns with the current government’s programme and the 2023 Indo-Pacific strategy guidelines.

Earlier, the ministry had hoped to complete the plan by the end of May and sign it in June. Economic ties with Taiwan gained momentum in 2021 with the opening of the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius, though Lithuanian officials have since expressed dissatisfaction with the level of investment from Taipei. The establishment of the office strained Lithuania’s relations with China, which viewed it as support for Taiwan’s efforts to act as an independent state.