TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa said his government is working with Taiwan to set up mutual representative offices in an interview with Indian public television channel Doordarshan on Monday (Jan. 17).

“This will not be on the level of embassies. It will be on the same level as many of the EU member countries already have,” Jansa said, according to a transcript issued by a Slovenian government portal.

“And frankly speaking, if we had stronger coalitions in former years, I think we would have established such trade representative offices already in the past, because this is an issue of common benefit,” he added.

Jansa also criticized China for its economic pressure on Lithuania, expressing solidarity with Slovenia's fellow EU member state. The leader also expressed support for the right of the Taiwanese to make their own decision regarding their country’s relationship with China.

“If they want to join China, if it’s their free will without any pressure, without any military intervention and without any blackmailing, without strategic cheating as it is happening in Hong Kong currently, then we will support it,” Jansa said.

“But if Taiwanese people want to live independently, we are here to also support this position,” he added.