TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s National Development Council minister, Liu Chin-ching (劉鏡清), is on a trip to Europe and hopes to expand economic ties with Lithuania and the Czech Republic.

Liu led a delegation to Lithuania from Aug. 26-27, when he visited Litilit, a laser company, and met with CEO Nikolajus Gavrilinas, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Liu said Lithuania’s laser technology would help Taiwan boost its semiconductor and biomedicine industries. It would also encourage Taiwanese businesses to learn from Lithuania’s expertise in lasers
 
The minister praised Lithuania’s advantage in financial technology during a visit to TransferGo, a financial service company. He said its business model was also applicable to the Taiwan market.

Liu also met with Zygimantas Pavilionis, deputy speaker of Lithuania’s parliament (Seimas), and parliamentarian Matas Maldeikis, chair of the Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group. The minister said Taiwan is willing to help the central European nation set up its semiconductor industry.

The minister then flew to Prague on Tuesday for a five-day trip to meet with senior Czech parliament officials and government agencies to demonstrate the importance of Taiwanese investment in the country. Liu will attend a meeting held by the Czech Investment Agency to learn about the local commercial environment and investment incentives. 

Liu will later visit other regions, including Usti and Brno, to deepen cooperation between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.