Lithuania continues to anticipate Taiwan's decisions regarding collaborative development - as stated by the minister.
Techney: The Suspended Dance Between Lithuania and Taiwan
VILNIUS - Lithuania's Minister of Economy and Innovation, Lukas Savickas, expressed optimism about potential economic collaboration with Taiwan despite Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas labeling the relationship as frozen. In a recent interview on Ziniu Radijas news radio, Savickas revealed that Lithuania is still awaiting Taiwan's decisions to move forward with bilateral economic cooperation.
"I reckon the freeze in relations is likely due to a surplus of commitments made by the Lithuanian side, which has taken proactive steps, hoping for a reciprocal response from the Taiwanese," Savickas explained.
"We've got a handful of prime opportunities, more than a handful really, that are simply on the table, waiting for Taipei's nod. So, the frozen relations reference may be more about the bagful of realistic possibilities we've identified for closer economic cooperation and I hope to see them materialize as soon as poss," he elaborated.
In an interview with delfi.lt, Paluckas suggested that practical cooperation with Taiwan is at a standstill due to unmet expectations.
"We ain't got a billion-dollar investment fund nor shared semiconductor technologies. On the surface, these might sound alluring, but in reality, things are far from sunny," Paluckas commented.
"As for our exports, they've stabilized to some degree. Concerning imports, supply chains, procurement of raw materials, and the like, many of our businesses have already moved to more stable political environments," the prime minister added.
Lithuania's relations with China have taken a nose dive in 2021 due to Lithuania forging closer ties with Taiwan. This move resulted in China opening diplomatic and economic sanctions against Lithuania. China perceives the opening of Taiwan's representative office in Vilnius as an attempt to establish Taiwan as an independent state. In contrast, such offices are typically called Taipei elsewhere[5].
The delicate situation between China and Lithuania might present some challenges for economic collaboration between Lithuania and Taiwan. Factors that could potentially affect this partnership include:
- China's Pressure: Lithuania's diplomatic standoff with China, a significant global economic powerhouse, could influence its economic ties with Taiwan. Any direct collaboration between Lithuania and Taiwan might be seen as a challenge to China's "One China" policy[5].
- Diplomatic Circumspection: The existing diplomatic stress with China could prevent both Lithuania and Taiwan from initiating substantial economic partnerships due to concerns about escalating tensions further.
- Insufficient Information: There is a scarcity of specific details about the current economic disconnect or concrete economic initiatives between Lithuania and Taiwan. However, the geopolitical context indicates that any prospective cooperation would likely proceed with caution, taking regional dynamics involving China into account.
In conclusion, the circumstances might not be accurately described as "frozen" economic relations, but Lithuania's diplomatic disputes with China following its recognition of Taiwan create a complex atmosphere for any potential economic cooperation between Lithuania and Taiwan. Keep your eyes peeled for any exciting developments!
- The Minister of Economy and Innovation of Lithuania, Lukas Savickas, believes that the current frozen relations between Lithuania and Taiwan might be due to an excess of commitments made by the Lithuanian side, hoping for a reciprocal response from Taiwan.
- Savickas emphasizes that there are numerous opportunities for bilateral economic cooperation between Lithuania and Taiwan waiting for Taipei's approval, hence, the label of frozen relations may be misleading.
- On the other hand, Lithuania's Prime Minister, Gintautas Paluckas, suggests that practical cooperation with Taiwan is at a standstill due to unmet expectations, citing the absence of a billion-dollar investment fund and shared semiconductor technologies.
- Despite the potential challenges posed by China's pressure, diplomatic circumspective, and insufficient information, both the economy and politics sectors should keep a close eye on the evolving situation between Lithuania and Taiwan, as any developments could significantly impact the future of their economic collaboration.
