Lithuania delegation eyes sister city ties with Kaohsiung

立陶宛參訪團關注與高雄的姐妹市關係

Group also seeks more cooperation with Taiwan International Ports Corporation

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lithuania’s Transport and Communications Vice Minister Agne Vaiciukeviciute on Tuesday (Aug. 9) visited Kaohsiung in hopes of establishing sister city ties between the southern Taiwanese port city and Klaipeda, Lithuania, also a port city.

Vaiciukeviciute also sought cooperation with the Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC). Accompanied by an 11-member delegation, the vice minister met with TIPC Chairman Li Hsian-yi (李賢義) and Port of Kaohsiung Vice President Wang Chin-jung (王錦榮), CNA reported.

Li said that the Port of Klaipeda in Lithuania has one of the largest annual loading and unloading capacities among the ports in the Baltic Sea. He thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for arranging this opportunity to discuss issues with Lithuania, including environmental management and the development of smart facilities at Kaohsiung’s port.

Li also said he expected to promote cooperation between Taiwan and Lithuanian ports in the future.

To welcome the vice minister and her delegation to Kaohsiung, Deputy Mayor Lo Ta-sheng (羅達生) hosted a banquet on Tuesday evening. Vaiciukeviciute said that Taiwan and Lithuania are democratic partners, and the delegation is very pleased to see that the Lithuanian trade office in Taiwan will be established in September.

The vice minister said the opening of the office would kickstart more bilateral economic and trade cooperation in the future. She added that in addition to strengthening exchanges with TIPC, she also looked forward to promoting Kaohsiung and Klaipeda as sister cities.

Lo said that the Asian New Bay Area is another key development project for Kaohsiung. The Kaohsiung Port Cruise Terminal will be completed by the end of this year, he said.

The new terminal will be a hub for incoming cruise ships and will be able to welcome more passengers, Lo said. He suggested that Kaohsiung and Lithuania could cooperate in this area in the future.

The deputy mayor added that he looks forward to promoting port cooperation with Klaipeda and prospering together.

Vaiciukeviciute’s delegation consists of 11 government officials and electric bus business representatives. Their five-day visit intends to deepen bilateral exchanges and collaborations related to smart and green transportation, 5G communications, and electric buses.

The group will return to Lithuania on Thursday (Aug. 11).