Lithuania: Bank of Taiwan may compete with major banks

Lithuania’s central bank, the Bank of Lithuania, has called on Taiwan’s state-owned Bank of Taiwan (BOT) to provide as diverse banking services in Lithuania as possible, BNS reports. Earlier, business news outlet Verslo Zinios reported that BOT had obtained regulatory approval to open a representative office in Lithuania. Lukas Jakubonis, chief business development officer at…

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Lithuania: New players to enter banking market in 2024: central bank

New players will enter the Lithuanian banking market in 2024, Simonas Krepsta, board member of the Bank of Lithuania, announced, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with LRT, Krepsta said that Polish banks had contacted Lithuanian regulators and the business community. He noted that the Lithuanian banking sector was “exceptionally profitable.” Earlier, Poland’s Bank Pekao…

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Lithuania: EU suspends WTO dispute over China’s trade embargo

The EU has suspended its dispute proceedings at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over China’s trade embargo against Lithuania, Politico reported. A spokesman for the European Commission said that the move was a “procedural step” related to the preparation of written submissions. The case will be closed altogether if the suspension lasts longer than 12…

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Lithuania: Delegation of 11 MPs to visit Taiwan, meet new president

A delegation of 11 members of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, will visit Taiwan on 20-27 January 2024, BNS reports. Freedom Party MP Vytautas Mitalas said that the Lithuanian delegation would be the first to meet with Taiwan’s newly elected president, William Lai. Mitalas noted that the visit would help bring Lithuania and Taiwan closer. Meanwhile,…

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Baltic: Parliamentary committee chairs praise Taiwan elections

The chairmen of the foreign affairs committees of the Baltic parliaments, Estonia’s Marko Mihkelson, Latvia’s Rihards Kols, and Lithuania’s Zygimantas Pavilionis, praised Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections held on 13 January 2023, LSM reports. In a joint statement, they said that the elections demonstrated the strength of Taiwan’s “robust democratic system,” saying that the country…

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Lithuania: “Pivot to Taiwan” receives both criticism and recognition

Lithuania’s decision to distance from China and forge closer ties with Taiwan is one of the government’s most influential foreign policy initiatives, LRT reports. The move is part of Lithuania’s “values-based foreign policy,” which touts the country as a “freedom-loving outpost” in an increasingly authoritarian region. At the same time, officials admitted that the move…

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Estonia: MP calls for closer cooperation with Taiwan

Estonia should strengthen cooperation with Taiwan and consider opening a Taiwanese representative office (Taipei Mission) in Tallinn, Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, stated, ERR reports. Speaking after a joint visit by the heads of the foreign affairs committees of Baltic parliaments to Taiwan, Mihkelson noted that…

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