Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that the Taiwanese Representative to Lithuania said that the Taiwan National Development and Reform Commission will set up a US$200 million “Taiwan Central and Eastern European Investment Fund” to invest in Lithuanian industries. The initial plan will give priority to the technology sector and the relevant details will be discussed with the Ministry of Economic Innovation of Lithuania. Initial investments will focus on industries that will strategically benefit both parties and will start to operate in a few months. The Taiwanese central bank will support the new fund. After last year, when Lithuania  allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in the country under the name “Taiwan,” it has been facing pressure from China to reverse its decision. However, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that he had not been consulted on the naming issue. The spokesperson for Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis confirmed that the Government of Lithuania looks forward to developing business, scientific, technological and cultural relations with Taiwan, and that the people of Lithuania and Taiwan are close because of shared values and an open society based on the foundation of innovation.

Source: CNA, January 5, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/202201055013.aspx

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that the North Korean Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports sent a letter to the Chinese Olympic Committee, the Beijing Winter Olympics, the Paralympics Organizing Committee, and the General Administration of Sports of China. The letter said that, due to the conspiracy activities of hostile forces as well as the global epidemic of infectious diseases, North Korea could not participate in the coming Winter Olympics Games. The North Korean Ambassador to China conveyed the letter when he met with the responsible officials of the General Administration of Sports of China. North Korean also pointed out in the letter that the United States and its followers are trying to hinder the smooth holding of the Beijing Winter Olympics. North Korea sent the letter to the General Administration of Sports of China on the day when they tested a hypersonic missile. In theory, North Korean athletes can still participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics as individuals, but based on North Korea’s travel ban, their athletes won’t be able to go abroad to participate in the competition.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, January 7, 2022
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/china/story20220107-1230472

Major Taiwanese news group Eastern Media International recently reported that, ever since Lithuania and Taiwan set up representative offices in each other’s capital last year, the Chinese Communist Party has been angry. Chna launched an economic and trade retaliation against Lithuania. On December 18 last year, Taiwan Liquor Company received a message from the Taiwan representative in Lithuania, and the Taiwanese Ministry of Finance, saying that there were 20,400 bottles of Lithuanian black rum blocked by Chinese Customs and the rum was about to face the fate of drifting in the Pacific. Taiwan Wine Company immediately approached the seller and acquired this shipment of black rum. In the meantime, Lithuanian beer has its own wholesaler in Taiwan. Together with private resellers, the sale of Lithuanian beer in Taiwan has exploded 24 times. Taiwanese consumers are cheering for Lithuania’s support of Taiwan’s position on the world stage.

Source: ETToday, January 3, 2022
https://finance.ettoday.net/news/2160176