Lithuania's economy and innovation minister says her country will be opening
a representative office in Taiwan early next year.

The announcement by Ausrine Armonaite, was made during a joint news
conference held in Vilnius with National Development Council Minister Kung
Ming-hsin, who is currently leading a 66-member delegation to the Baltic
state.

Lithuania's parliament passed a legal revision in late September allowing the
country to open representative offices in countries with which it does not
have formal diplomatic relations - and that included Taiwan.

Speaking at the press briefing, Armonaite said her office is not ruling out
the possibility of Taiwan setting up a semiconductor production site in
Lithuania due to demand for semiconductors increasing as electric vehicles
and smart technologies become more widespread.

And Armonaite went on to say that 80-per cent of Lithuania's G-D-P comes from
exports so the Baltic country hopes it can increase outbound sales to Taiwan,
while at the same time hoping that Taiwan will invest in her country.