Taiwan Foreign Minister leads drone tech delegation to Lithuania

Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung is leading a high-profile delegation to Lithuania, which includes executives from over 10 drone companies, Azernews reports.

The visit, set to take place early this week, is expected to provoke a strong response from China, which opposes official contacts between Taiwan and other countries.

Lin, accompanied by officials from Taiwan’s Economic Ministry, departed for Lithuania on Sunday. The delegation will attend a forum in Vilnius, focusing on drone technologies, and is scheduled to meet with Lithuanian government officials. The visit is part of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s push to enhance Taiwan’s drone manufacturing capabilities, aimed at strengthening the country’s defense and offsetting China's growing military advantage in the tech.

Since taking office six months ago, Lai has made drone productionna priority, which includes agreements signed last month with the U.S. Defense Ministry to acquire up to 1,000 attack drones. The goal is to bolster Taiwan’s defenses amid increasing Chinese military threats, including regular drills simulating an invasion of the island.

This visit to Lithuania follows similar diplomatic efforts, such as Joseph Wu’s trips to Europe in 2023 and previous engagements with U.S. industry executives. It highlights Taiwan’s strategy to build stronger international ties, particularly in the aerospace and defense sectors.

The delegation includes representatives from major Taiwanese drone companies such as Thunder Tiger Corp., Aerospace Industrial Development Corp., and GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology Inc. One of the main objectives is to foster collaboration on drone technologies and to explore joint development with Lithuania, which has expertise in laser technology for anti-drone systems.

However, the visit is expected to anger Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of its territory and vehemently opposes any official interaction with Taiwanese representatives. China has previously warned that it will retaliate against countries that engage with Taiwan diplomatically. Lithuania is likely to face diplomatic protests from Beijing, especially since its decision to allow a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius in 2021 led to a diplomatic rift with China.

Despite this, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has expressed interest in improving relations with China in 2024, making the trip a sensitive issue for both sides. The visit underscores Taiwan's increasing push to secure international partnerships amid mounting pressure from Beijing.