TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan was set to be the only Asian country with a delegation attending a freedom seminar marking the centenary of diplomatic relations between Lithuania and the United States in Vilnius, reports said Thursday (July 7).

Unofficial relations between Taiwan and the Baltic nation have improved over the past year due to Chinese anger over the name of a new Taiwan office in Vilnius. Lithuania is expected to open its own representative office in Taipei in September.

At Thursday’s conference, Deputy Foreign Minister Harry Tseng (曾厚仁), top envoy to the U.S., Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) and Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) were to represent Taiwan, CNA reported.

Tseng was to participate in a discussion under the theme, “Defining Europe Whole and Free,” while Hsiao, Chiu, and Lin were scheduled to speak at the “Global Arena of the Fight for Freedom.”

While Taiwan was the only Asian country present at the conference, senior officials and politicians from the U.S., Ukraine and Belarus would either be present or address the event by video conferencing, reports said.