Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) kicked off his first European tour with a visit to Belgium.
The minister is currently leading a delegation of representatives from 20 Taiwanese drone companies who are traveling in Europe from November 17 to 24. The group aims to explore business opportunities and enhance industry collaboration with European drone manufacturers, with a visit to Lithuania as a key focus of the trip.
On Tuesday (Brussels time), Lin was warmly welcomed by several European parliamentarians. European Parliament member Rasa Juknevičienė, a Lithuanian politician who served as a former Lithuanian defense minister, posted on X a picture of her with Foreign Minister Lin and Eric Jiun-Yaw Huang (黃鈞耀). Huang, formerly Taiwan's representative to Lithuania, now serves as the Foreign Ministry's European Affairs Director-General. Juknevičienė said in her post that discussions on cooperation between Taiwan and Lithuania showed that both sides understood the importance of success. She added that Lin is scheduled to visit Lithuania the next day, European time.
Lin also met with European Parliament International Trade Committee Vice Chair Kathleen Van Brempt and European Parliament members Michael Gahler and Engin Eroglu. While visiting the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, Lin was also welcomed by the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Els Van Hoof.
According to the Foreign Ministry’s post, the trip is part of the minister's drive for "comprehensive diplomacy," aimed at leveraging Taiwan's tech strengths to strengthen global supply chains and solidify its role as a trusted partner.