Taiwan's foreign minister on visit to Baltic states

Taipei, Nov. 6 (CNA) Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Monday embarked on a visit to the three Baltic states, where he will attend forums and give speeches in public to underscore Taiwan's resolve to safeguard democracy with like-minded countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

In a statement, MOFA said Wu was invited to visit Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia from Nov. 6-12.

During the trip, Wu will attend a forum in Lithuania where discussions will be held on the subject of the future of democracy, MOFA said.

The minister will also deliver two separate speeches at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs in Latvia and the International Centre for Defence and Security in Estonia, to relay Taiwan people's determination to fight for democracy against authoritarian regimes, MOFA said.

In addition, Wu will meet representatives from the political and academic circles of the three countries to exchange views on a wide range of issues related to politics, economics and society, MOFA said.

MOFA noted that in a show of support for Taiwan, Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, alongside his Lithuanian counterpart Žygimantas Pavilionis, and Latvian counterpart Rihards Kols, paid a visit to Taiwan Aug. 6-11.

Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, also visited Taiwan Oct. 22-25, MOFA said, calling the visits proof of increasing bilateral exchange and interactions between Taiwan and the Baltic countries.