Deepening ties with Baltic states

IN THE MIDST of the current volatile international environment, Taiwan’s relations with the three Baltic states — Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia — have been growing ever closer. This welcome trend stands as a model of deep and forward-looking international cooperation.

During vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) just-concluded visit to Europe, she had an important meeting with the chairpersons of the three Baltic states’ parliamentary foreign affairs committees. As well as demonstrating firm mutual support, this meeting also strengthened the participating countries’ shared determination to fight for freedom and democracy.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has been interacting with the Baltic states for a long time. During her two terms as president, she has promoted communication and cooperation with them, making considerable progress in such areas as national defense and cybersecurity. Taiwan and the Baltic states have worked together to strengthen their democratic systems and defend themselves against network cybersecurity threats.

They have also supported each other’s right to be heard in the international arena. Such friendship and cooperation have not only won over important international allies for Taiwan, but also opened a new chapter for the Baltic states in their relations with the Asia-Pacific region.

According to official figures, Taiwan has made a sizeable contribution to helping Ukraine by donating more than US$58 million in financial aid and more than 700 tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies. This contribution bears witness to the Taiwanese public’s firm support for freedom and democracy, and demonstrates Taiwan’s sense of responsibility in the international community.

Cooperation between Taiwan and the Baltic states is expected to grow deeper in matters such as upholding regional security, promoting information exchange and bolstering network defense.

Participation in international organizations and structures such as Estonia’s Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (COE), Latvia’s Strategic Communications COE and Lithuania’s Energy Security COE will enable Taiwan not only to share information and resources with the Baltic states, but also to exert its influence and contribute its strengths to jointly upholding the international order of freedom, democracy and peace.

With Hsiao as our incoming vice president, we have good reason to believe that the existing friendship and cooperation between Taiwan and the three Baltic states will become even firmer, and that she will win more support for Taiwan and opportunities for our country to cooperate with other members of the international community. Taiwan has demonstrated its role as a global citizen that responsibly and actively participates in international affairs.

Without doubt, Hsiao’s trip to Europe has been an important step in this effort. Taiwan’s relations with the Baltic states are not just a partnership based on common values, but also an alliance of global resistance against authoritarianism and for the promotion of democratic values.

Chang Yi-ying is self-employed.