TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lithuania’s parliament passed an amendment on Thursday (Sept. 30), laying the legal basis for its government to establish economic and trade representative offices in countries where it does not have formal diplomatic institutions, such as Taiwan.

Ausrine Armonaite, chairperson of the Freedom Party and Lithuania’s Minister of Economy and Innovation, said there are many untapped opportunities in the East and Southeast Asian markets for her country, according to a CNA report. Lithuania is committed to developing trade and investment relations with Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and other countries in the region.

The country’s parliament amended the law to allow Lithuania to establish closer economic relations with developed overseas markets and strengthen cooperation in the fields of high technology and innovation.

Earlier this year the Lithuanian government announced plans to open an economic and trade representative office in Taiwan. The office is expected to start operations before the end of the year.

As for the enormous pressure Lithuania faces from Beijing after promoting ties with Taiwan in recent months, Armonaite reiterated that Lithuania, like the European Union (EU), respects China’s domestic and foreign policies.

Yet the EU and Taiwan also have strong links and economic and trade relations, she said. Taiwan is the EU’s sixth largest trading partner in Asia, and the EU is Taiwan’s fifth largest market.

Many EU member states have offices in Taiwan, Armonaite noted, and Lithuania, also an EU country, wants to do the same.