Estonian parliamentary group concludes visit to Taiwan

Source: Riigikogu

A delegation of Estonian parliamentarians conclude their visit to Taiwan today.

The five-day mission aimed at bolstering bilateral ties, featured key discussions with Taiwan’s top officials including President Tsai Ing-wen. The visit underscores a growing relations between the two countries in economy, culture and communications, highlighted plans to establish a non-diplomatic Taiwanese representative office in Estonia, the specifics of which remain under deliberation.

Since China has continued to cooperate with Russia following it’s invasion of Ukraine, Baltic states have reoriented their stance towards Taiwan. This shift is evident in their withdrawal from China’s Eastern European cooperation framework and Estonia’s move to deepen ties with Taiwan, mirroring Lithuania’s earlier establishment of a Taiwanese office in 2019.

Looking ahead, the anticipated opening of a Taiwanese office in Estonia may be met with Chinese countermeasures akin to those experienced by Lithuania, including trade sanctions and diplomatic pressures. To avoid further tensions with China, Estonia is unlikely to begin formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in the near-term. Additionally, Baltic states and other EU member states may similarly adjust their policies towards Taiwan by fostering cultural, and economic ties without diplomatic relations.

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China Diplomacy Estonia Taiwan

Evan Tsao

Evan Tsao is an Analyst for Foreign Brief and a contributor to The Daily Brief. His expertise is in Indo-Pacific security and interdisciplinary research. He formerly worked as investigative analyst at Kharon, LA, conducting research on sanctions and providing open-source intelligence services for clients in the semiconductor and defense industries. He holds a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.