Lithuania can be a model for EU-Taiwan ties. That was what the head of a delegation of Lithuanian Members of Parliament visiting Taiwan, Matas Maldeikis, said in a recent interview with Radio Taiwan International. Maldeikis is the head of the Lithuanian Parliamentary Group for Relations with Taiwan and is leading a delegation of ten Members of Parliaments from the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to visit Taiwan this week.
He said it is important to support Taiwan because of the “domino effect” in global politics. If one democracy falls, others may fall as well. Maldeikis also said that Lithuania has helped call the attention of the EU and EU institutions to Taiwan. He believes that Lithuania’s relations with Taiwan will have a long term impact on other EU member countries and their ties with Taiwan and China.
Maldeikis cited Iceland and how its recognition of Lithuania’s independence from the USSR in 1991 changed the dynamic in foreign politics. More and more countries were willing to support and recognize Lithuania after Iceland did so. Maldeikis said that he hopes Lithuania’s economic ties with Taiwan will be a “success story” for others to follow. He said many journalists from other European countries have been asking him about Lithuania’s ties with Taiwan. He said if Lithuania builds a successful relationship with Taiwan, other countries will certainly follow.
Lithuania welcomed the opening of a Taiwanese Representative Office this month, which resulted in Beijing downgrading ties with Lithuania to the level of charge d’affaires. China has also limited trade and rail services to Lithuania as a result of the move.
Maldeikis also believes it is only a matter of time before the European Union changes the name of its office in Taiwan to include “Taiwan” rather than “Taipei”. Beijing does not like the use of "Taiwan” as it gives the impression that Taiwan is a separate country than China.
