TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In an effort to strengthen government-to-government ties, Taiwan and Kosovo on Monday (Dec. 20) mutually established the Taiwan-Kosovo Parliamentary Group in the Legislative Yuan and the Kosovo-Taiwan Friendship Group in the Balkan nation’s Assembly.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Luo Chih-cheng (羅致政) led the virtual meeting inaugurating the two groups. A total of 39 legislators from Taiwan’s two major political parties as well as Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Harry Tseng Hou-ren (曾厚仁) and Taiwanese envoy to Hungary Liu Shi-chung (劉世忠) were invited to witness the establishment of the first Taiwan friendship group in the Balkans, CNA reported.

Luo said that the meeting had set a milestone in the development of Taiwan-Kosovo relations. The two nations have “a lot in common in their struggle for independence, sovereignty, democratic values, economic survival, and international recognition,” he stated.

Luo said that when Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, Taiwan was one of the first few countries that immediately recognized its sovereignty.

Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo Blerta Deliu-Kodra said that exchanges between the two nations need to be developed and expanded further. She added that the establishment of the parliament groups is an important breakthrough in opening up bilateral relations.

The most important thing is that the two democracies can stand side by side against dictatorships in the future, she said.

The Kosovan Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora on June 15 approved a proposal, introduced by Self-Determination Movement politician Adriana Matoshi and others, to establish the Kosovo-Taiwan Friendship Group.