President Tsai meets chairs of parliamentary foreign affairs committees from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
On the morning of August 10, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a joint delegation of parliamentary foreign affairs committee chairs from the Baltic states–Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. President Tsai thanked the governments and parliaments of the Baltic states for speaking up for Taiwan on numerous international occasions. The president emphasized that in recent years, exchanges between Taiwan and the Baltic states across many spheres have grown even closer. She expressed hope that the visiting guests can help facilitate Taiwan's participation in the Baltic centers of excellence (COE) to open a new chapter in the cooperation between Taiwan and the Baltic states and further strengthen our friendship.
A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:
Let me begin by warmly welcoming the joint delegation of parliamentary foreign affairs committee chairs from the Baltic states. A joint delegation of Baltic parliamentary groups for friendship with Taiwan visited us in 2021 and attended the Open Parliament Forum. On that occasion, we enjoyed a productive exchange of ideas on countering disinformation and authoritarian expansionism.
Your visit is particularly significant in terms of regional security and strengthening international solidarity among democracies. Chairman [Žygimantas] Pavilionis visited last year with the Taiwan Friendship Caucus of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament). Welcome back to Taiwan.
In recent years, the governments and parliaments of the Baltic states have spoken up for Taiwan on numerous international occasions. For example, at the General Discussion of the World Health Assembly this May, they all called for justice for Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your support and friendship.
Taiwan and the Baltic states have all experienced authoritarian rule and the struggle for democracy. Today, we face common threats such as authoritarian expansionism and cyberattacks. This is why we share such a special understanding.
Since the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Baltic states have strongly supported and fully aided Ukraine. Their spirit and actions in defending democratic beliefs are truly admirable.
The people of Taiwan have also demonstrated firm support for Ukraine's fight for freedom. Last year, the government and civil society of Taiwan donated a total of nearly US$58 million and over 700 tons of supplies in humanitarian aid. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to work with the Baltic states and other countries to assist in Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction.
In recent years, exchanges between Taiwan and the Baltic states across many spheres have grown even closer. We hope that the three chairs here today can help facilitate Taiwan's participation in the Baltic COEs: the CCDCOE (Cooperative Cyber Defence COE) in Estonia, the StratCom COE (Strategic Communications COE) in Latvia, and the ENSEC COE (Energy Security COE) in Lithuania. This will help further deepen our cooperation in such areas as national defense, cybersecurity, and all-out defense.
We also believe that your visit will open a new chapter in the cooperation between Taiwan and the Baltic states and further strengthen our friendship. I once again thank you for visiting and wish you a fruitful and successful trip.
Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Riigikogu (parliament), then delivered remarks, a transcript of which follows:
In the name of our joint delegation, chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, let me thank you for receiving us here today. And also, I would like to thank Taiwanese people [for] giving us very warm hospitality. Thank you.
Our main purpose of [the] joint visit to Taipei is to learn more about Taiwan. It is also to learn more about those possibilities to enhance cooperation between our democratic societies.
Taiwan is [a] very strong and vibrant democracy. And under your leadership, Taiwan has become recognized in international affairs as a responsible partner, tackling global challenges like [the] COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, or also building [a] resilient society against authoritarian pressure.
During our visit here, during our meetings, we have learned that there are numerous possibilities and new avenues [through which] we can strengthen cooperation between Baltic nations and Taiwan, like in the area[s] of digitalization, cybersecurity, also trade and economy, and innovation and science. We learned also that there is also good ground to build more and close relations between Taiwan and the European Union, as we are members of the European Union.
On 23rd of August in 1989, I was a 19-year-old student, when I joined 2 million Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians to stand in a human chain, called [the] "Baltic chain," to stand and peacefully protest against illegal annexation and occupation. Our spirit that time was very strong and we won. [The] Soviet empire collapsed, but our spirit for freedom never faded away.
We learn from our history, from our tragic history, that we should never be alone again. And this is why throughout [the] last 30 years, we have built, each of us, very strong democratic societies, and also we built [a] strong partnership and alliances to safeguard our freedom.
And today, the Russian Federation has launched [a] barbaric war of aggression against Ukraine. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are the leaders of nations when it comes to the help to Ukraine. Each of us has spent, since last February, more than 1% of GDP helping Ukraine to win this war. Because Ukrainians fighting today on fronts in Ukraine, they're fighting also for our freedom and for our rules-based order, what we commonly defend.
Baltic States and Taiwan are the beacons of democracies, [and each is] in very close neighborhood of increasingly very aggressive big authoritarian regimes. And we understand how challenging [it] is to stay free and how to tackle, actually, those challenges.
And this is why our joint visit to Taipei also is to show solidarity in these turbulent times, and no democracy should be left alone.
And as you said, President Tsai, I am more than sure that our joint visit to Taipei will open new possibilities to enhance friendship between our nations. Thank you.
The delegation also included Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Latvian Saeima (parliament) Rihards Kols and Representative of the Lithuanian Trade Representative Office Paulius Lukauskas.