News

On 25 October, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Asta Skaisgirytė Liauškienė attended the inaugural meeting of the association “Lithuania – China Forum” at the Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius.The meeting opened China Days in Lithuania 2010.

The Vice-Minister welcomed members of the Lithuania-China Forum who decided to deepen their knowledge about the world in the era of globalization, who wished to expand their horizons and to take part in a broad dialogue to define China’s global role and its importance for Lithuania. The Vice-Minister wished the members of the Forum to engage in interesting activities and meaningful work by fostering mutual knowledge and understanding between the people of Lithuania and China.

“The relationship between Lithuania and China has special significance this year, as Lithuania’s national pavilion at the world exhibition Expo 2010 in Shanghai has been visited by almost 6 million Chinese people. With the help of this exhibition, Lithuania’s interest in China has also grown,” the Vice-Minister said.

The public Lithuania-China Forum joins together employees of state institutions, members of NGOs, representatives from business, media and academia, who take interest in China. The forum was established on 21 May 2009.

After one and a half years of activities, it was decided to register the forum as an association, i.e., a legal entity, which shall initiate and implement various projects. The board of the forum was also approved. Mindaugas Reinikis was elected as its president.

This year, China’s economy surpassed Japan’s as the world’s second largest (after the U.S.A.). Over the past 25 years China’s economy has grown fastest among large countries. Lithuania’s exports to China in 2009 amounted to nearly 22 million EUR, while imports from China reached about 325 million EUR.

On 25-31 October, the events of the China Days in Lithuania 2010 are taking place. The events are co-organized by the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Lithuania-China Forum. The Chinese culture events take place in Vilnius, as Lithuania celebrates its National Pavilion Day on 25 October at the World Exhibition Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

On 28 October, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host a discussion entitled “Lithuania and China: the Potential of Transportation and Logistics”, during which politicians and business representatives will discuss possibilities for developing cooperation with China and for making use of the Lithuanian transportation and logistics capabilities. The non-governmental organization Baltic Vision Group prepared a study entitled “Transport development in Lithuania: China’s potential”, which will be presented to the participants. Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs A.Skaisgirytė Liauškienė will welcome the participants of the discussion.

To take part in the discussion, please register by e-mail: neringa.urboniene@urm.lt.