Taiwan congratulates Lithuania on latest election

Taipei, Oct. 29 (CNA) Taiwan's government on Tuesday congratulated Lithuania in completing its most recent election that saw Lithuania's opposition Social Democratic Party win the most seats of any party in its parliament on Sunday.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) extended its sincere congratulations to Lithuania "on the successful completion of the election."

"Taiwan looks forward to working with Lithuania's new government and political parties...to continue to enhance bilateral relations, uphold the rules-based international order, and promote peace, stability and prosperity in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region," it said.

According to government figures, the center-left Social Democrats won 52 seats in the 141-member assembly, a gain of 39 seats from the previous parliament.

The ruling conservative Homeland Union Party finished second with 28 seats.

The leader of the Social Democrats, Vilija Blinkeviciute, told reporters that she believed her party would be able to form a majority in parliament along with its likely coalition partners, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Union of Democrats "For Lithuania."

"The results of this election showed that the Lithuanian people, no matter where they live, in large cities, in small cities or villages, they want change," she said, but would not confirm whether she would seek the job of prime minister, a Deutsche Welle report said.

Following the results, Homeland Union leader Gabrielius Landsbergis conceded defeat and congratulated the Social Democrats.

Despite the change of administration, Lithuania will continue to maintain its hardline approach toward Russia and will keep its pro-Western foreign policy, according to a Politico Europe report, citing Mažvydas Jastramskis, associate professor at the Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science.

Relations between Taiwan and Lithuania have blossomed in recent years, with the two sides signing an agreement in July 2021 to open reciprocal representative offices.

Taiwan opened its office in Vilnius on Nov. 18, 2021, while the Lithuanian Trade Representative Office officially opened in Taipei on Nov. 7, 2022.

The opening of the Taiwan office caused controversy, however, because it was called the "Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania."

Taiwan representative offices overseas are typically named the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Office" or "Taipei Representative Office," in keeping with the host countries' preference to avoid any references that would imply Taiwan is a separate country from China.

Beijing, which sees Taiwan and mainland China as part of the same country, reacted angrily to the name and has imposed political and economic penalties on Lithuania for allowing the inclusion of "Taiwanese" in the name of the Taiwan office.

The punitive measures have included recalling China's ambassador to Lithuania, downgrading diplomatic relations with the Baltic country, expelling the Lithuanian ambassador to China, suspending direct freight rail services to Lithuania, and banning the country's products on the Chinese market.