Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Taiwan’s foreign minister Lin Chia-lung met with MEPs in an unannounced visit to Brussels as part of his first visit to the EU to firm up connections.
The foreign ministry in Taipei had previously reported that Lin, leading a delegation of representatives of 20 Taiwanese drone groups, was scheduled to visit Lithuania during a week-long trip starting Nov 17. Taiwan has worked to maintain ties with European countries as it faces an increasingly strong China, which claims the self-ruled democratic island as part of its territory.
What was discussed during Lin Chia-lung’s meeting with MEPs?
MEP Rasa Jukneviciene confirmed that she met Lin and Taiwan’s former de facto ambassador to Lithuania Eric Huang at the European Parliament. She also added that Lin was heading to her country on Wednesday in her post.
In reaction, Lin said: “I extended my sincere appreciation to Jukneviciene … for her support during our meeting. I look forward to further strengthening bilateral relations with Lithuania and we will work hard to achieve success.”
As reported by sources, Taiwan’s foreign ministry stated in a short statement on Wednesday that Lin “visited the European Union/Belgium to meet with friends in the European Parliament“. He “used this visit to interact and communicate with European friends”, the ministry stated, without providing details.
Most nations officially recognise Beijing over Taipei but hold trade and unofficial relations with the island. Beijing – which has not relinquished the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control – baulks at any international backing that might lend a sense of international legitimacy to Taiwan.
It has also responded with anger to overseas visits by top Taiwanese officials and orchestrated massive military exercises last year to oppose then-president Tsai Ing-wen’s stopover in the United States. Lithuania incurred China’s wrath by letting Taiwan open a representative office in Vilnius under its name in 2021 – an effective diplomatic departure.
