Lithuania’s Ministry of Economy and Innovation reported Monday that it has proceeded to open its trade office in Taiwan as relations with China worsen due to the rapprochement between the government and the island’s authorities.
Economy Minister Ausrine Armonaite applauded the «achievements in cooperation with Taiwan» and said she had «no doubt that this decision will intensify the work with this promising market».
Armonaite, who pointed out that this is a commercial office and not a diplomatic one, indicated that the parties have completed the necessary processes to proceed with the export of fish, eggs and milk to the island.
The move has led to increased tension with China and comes a year after Taipei opened a similar office in the Lithuanian capital, something that has been strongly criticized by Beijing.
In October, the country’s president, Gitanas Nauseda, asserted that China’s actions and its backing of Russia in the context of the invasion of Ukraine show Beijing to be a «systematic rival» of the European Union.
