Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia

Unofficial diplomatic mission

Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia
駐拉脫維亞臺北代表團
Taipejas Misija Latvijas Republikā

Agency overview
Formed| January 1992 (as Consulate General of the Republic of China in Riga)
Jurisdiction|  Latvia
Estonia
Headquarters| 14 Auseklis Street, Central District, Riga, Latvia
Agency executive|

* Andrew H.C. Lee, Representative

Website| Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia

The Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia (Chinese: 駐拉脫維亞臺北代表團; pinyin: Zhù Lātuōwéiyǎ Táiběi Dàibiǎo Tuán, Latvian: Taipejas Misija Latvijas Republikā) represents the interests of Taiwan in the Republic of Latvia in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a de facto embassy.[1]

## Background

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The aim of the representative office is to further bilateral cooperation between Latvia and Taiwan in the fields of economics, culture, education and research. In addition, it offers consular services and the consular jurisdiction of the office also extends to Estonia.[2] Till 2021, the consular jurisdiction of the office also extended to Lithuania, until the opening of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania that same year.[3][4]

Latvia and the Republic of China exchanged recognition in August 16, 1923, when the it recognized Latvia de jure. After the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940, the ROC was one of the countries that did not recognize the incorporation of the Baltic States into the Soviet Union and de facto recognition continued.[5][6][7][8]

On 21 August 1991, Latvia restored its full independence after the end of the Soviet occupation and on November of the same year, Latvia and Taiwan signed an agreement for the 'mutual establishment of trade missions', while at the same time maintaining diplomatic relations with China. On 29 January 1992, Latvia signed an agreement on the opening of a Taiwanese consulate general in the Latvian capital city of Riga (the Consulate General of the Republic of China in Riga). This policy was allegedly due to Latvian desires of receiving development aid from Taiwan, which, however, did not materialize. In response, China withdrew its ambassador and diplomatic staff from Latvia and froze relations between Latvia. On 17 September 1992, a 25-member delegation headed by Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis and Foreign Minister of Latvia Jānis Jurkāns made an official visit to Taiwan. During the delegation's visit, Latvia and Taiwan signed agreement for investment-protection and a letter of intent to establish direct flights between the capital cities of Taipei and Riga.[9][10][11][12]

After a new Latvian government under Valdis Birkavs came to power following the 1993 parliamentary election, the Taiwanese consulate general in Riga was closed and Latvia normalized its relations with the People's Republic of China in 1994 due to Latvia receiving very little investment from Taiwan and the conducting of a much larger trade with China. In November 1995, the consulate general was downgraded to the Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia and in October 1996, it began its operations.[13][14][1][15]

Since March 2022, the office is headed by a representative, currently Andrew H.C. Lee, who previously served as the representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brunei.[16]

## See also

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* Latvia–Taiwan relations
* List of diplomatic missions of Taiwan
* List of diplomatic missions in Latvia

## References

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1. ^ a b "駐外館處-拉脫維亞共和國". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan) (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
2. ^ "駐館位置及聯絡資訊-駐拉脫維亞代表處". Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan) (in Traditional Chinese). 10 July 2017. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
3. ^ "The Republic of China National Central Library Newsletter Volumes 30-33". Guo li zhong yang tu shu guan. 1998. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
4. ^ "Taiwan's office in Lithuania opens despite Chinese protests". Focus Taiwan. 2021-11-18. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
5. ^ "About the Mission - Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia 駐拉脫維亞代表處". Archived from the original on 2016-11-17. "The Republic of China never recognized the incorporation of the three Baltic States into the Soviet Union and is very proud of the fact being correctly reflected in exposition at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. The National flag of the Republic of China, which is red with a navy blue canton bearing a white sun with twelve triangular rays, is placed amid the flags of other countries that didn't recognize the incorporation into the USSR."
6. ^ Mälksoo, Lauri (2003). Illegal Annexation and State Continuity: The Case of the Incorporation of the Baltic States by the USSR. Leiden – Boston: Brill. ISBN 978-90-411-2177-6.
7. ^ Vitas, Robert A. (1989). "U.S. Nonrecognition of the Soviet Occupation of Lithuania". Loyola University Chicago ECommons: Dissertations.
8. ^ Made, Vahur (2012). "ETIS - To Be Anti-Communist or Anti-Soviet? The People's Republic of China as a Dilemma for the Estonian Exiled Diplomats during the Cold War Period". www.etis.ee. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
9. ^ "第三章 中外關係". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan) (in Traditional Chinese). 1997. Archived from the original on February 10, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
10. ^ "本處與駐在國關係 - 駐拉脫維亞臺北代表團". Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia. 2013-02-06. Archived from the original on 2020-11-22. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
11. ^ Park, Ausra (2022-11-01). "Punching Above Their Weight? The Baltic States and the Peoples Republic of China". Australian Institute of International Affairs. Archived from the original on 2022-11-01. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
12. ^ "Despite Beijing's displeasure, Latvia plans to establish ties with Taiwan". United Press International. 1992-09-17. Archived from the original on 2022-04-07. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
13. ^ Kante, Justīne (2022). "Latvia and China: Entering the Post Optimism Period" (PDF). Riga Stradiņš University. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
14. ^ "〈第三章 對外關係〉(十五、我國與拉脫維亞關係)" (PDF). 《中華民國108年外交年鑑》. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan). December 2020. p. 199\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2023-07-15. "出版日：中華民國 109年12月"
15. ^ Wu, Yu-Shan (1995). "Taiwan in 1994: Managing a Critical Relationship". JSTOR (Asian Survey, Jan., 1995, Vol. 35, No. 1, A Survey of Asia in 1994: Part I (Jan., 1995), pp. 61-69). 35 (1): 61–69. doi:10.2307/2645131. JSTOR 2645131. Archived from the original on July 17, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
16. ^ "Curriculum Vitae: Andrew H.C. Lee" (PDF). Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 11, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2023.

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