Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung attended a reception celebrating the third anniversary of the establishment of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania Nov. 18 in Vilnius, expressing hope of enduring bilateral cooperation and exchanges across the board.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other guests of honor at the event included Matas Maldeikis, Seimas member and chair of the Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group; Ruslanas Baranovas, another Seimas member; and representatives from Taiwan’s drone sector.
In his remarks, Lin said members of the free world need to stand together more than ever in light of expanding authoritarianism. Taiwan and Lithuania face similar geopolitical challenges and are indispensable partners that can greatly benefit from deepening relations, he added.
The minister praised the expansion of trade and investment ties over the past three years, adding that progress has been most notable in areas such as biotechnology, new energy, semiconductors and ultrafast lasers. As head of the Taiwan drone delegation, Lin predicted that related collaboration would open a new chapter of bilateral partnership and further promote mutual peace and prosperity.
Taiwan, with its free market economy and high-tech prowess, is a trusted partner and major contributor to the global economy as democratic nations work to secure supply chains, Lin said. He thanked the attending legislators and anticipated that the two countries would continue to work hand in hand to strengthen democratic resilience and safeguard their shared values.
As part of government efforts to advance the two-way ties, the second edition of the Taiwan On Screen film festival will be staged from Nov. 23 to Dec. 2 in Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda, according to the Ministry of Culture.
Organized in collaboration with Vilnius-based Asian Arts Center, the event is showing 10 Taiwan films, including the 1998 animation “Grandma and Her Ghosts,” 2019 psychological thriller “Detention,” 2023 drama “Old Fox” and 2023 documentary “Island of People.” Some of the films’ directors will also take part in post-screen sit-downs with the audience through video conference. (SFC-E)
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