TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) clarified on Tuesday (Nov. 5) that the name of Taiwan's representative office in Lithuania reflects a consensus reached after careful negotiations between the governments of both nations. The ministry emphasized its commitment to strengthening resilient unity with democratic countries.
Gintautas Paluckas (帕魯克斯), Lithuania's would-be prime minister, recently described the opening of the "Taiwanese" representative office as a "diplomatic mistake," sparking concerns about a potential name change. The Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) reported Paluckas's remarks on Oct. 31, following the Social Democratic Party's (社會民主黨) victory in the Lithuanian parliamentary elections on Oct. 27.
Eric Jiun-yaw Huang (黃鈞耀), director-general of the European Affairs Department, reiterated at a routine press conference that both governments agreed on the office's name. He stated that MOFA continues to uphold the principles of mutual benefit.
Huang also highlighted the close cooperation between Taiwan and Lithuania in sectors like semiconductors, lasers, agriculture, finance, healthcare, and joint assistance to Ukraine, positioning them as a model for democratic collaboration.
MOFA has also congratulated Lithuania on completing its parliamentary elections and expressed its intention to closely monitor the formation of the new government.
The ministry said it looks forward to actively engaging with the new administration. Huang underscored the ministry's ongoing friendly interactions with Lithuania's major political parties, aiming to promote the democratic partnership between Taiwan and Lithuania.
