Lithuania sends 1st European delegation to visit Taiwan following Lai's victory

Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) A Lithuanian parliamentarian group led by Matas Maldeikis, head of a Lithuanian-Taiwan friendship group, has arrived in the country for a six-day visit, making them the first European delegate to visit the country following the election of Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Jan. 13.

The 11-member cross-parties Lithuanian parliament, or Seimas delegation, features three deputy speakers, namely, Vytautas Mitalas, Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė and Julius Sabatauskas, who were welcomed by Eric Huang (黃鈞耀), head of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) European Affairs, at Taoyuan International Airport early Sunday, MOFA said in a press release.

Huang previously served as Taiwan's first representative to Lithuania from November 2021- Jan. 2024.

The group will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Lai as well as Legislative speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) to congratulate Lai's election victory and Taiwan's successful holding of another round of democratic elections to show solidarity between two democracies, MOFA said.

During the group's stay until Jan. 26, they will also pay a visit to Taiwan's National Security Council, Ministry of Economic Affairs, National Development Council and Hsinchu Science Park to exchange views on issues of mutual concerns, MOFA added.

Lai of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won Taiwan's presidential election on Jan. 13, giving the DPP an unprecedented third consecutive presidential term.

Tsai could not run for reelection because Taiwan's presidents are limited to two four-year terms.