Legislative Yuan Vice President Johnny C. Chiang meets with former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. Vice President Chiang: Strengthening Taiwan-Lithuania cooperation to defend democratic values
On the afternoon of January 13, Legislative Yuan Vice President Johnny C. Chiang, accompanied by KMT Legislator Chen Yeong-Kang, DPP Legislator Lin Yueh-Chin, TPP Legislator Lin Yi-Chun, Director Kevin C.F. Lin of the Department of International Affairs, Deputy Minister Amb. François Chihchung Wu of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Paulius Lukauskas, Representative of the Lithuanian Trade Representative Office, met with former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.
Vice President Chiang first warmly welcomed former Foreign Minister Landsbergis to the Legislative Yuan and joined the attending legislators and guests for a group photo. He remarked that Lithuania is often recognized for its outstanding performance in international men’s basketball. However, what is even more remarkable is Lithuania’s steadfast friendship with Taiwan and its numerous pro-Taiwan initiatives in recent years.
Vice President Chiang continued by reflecting on Lithuania’s generosity during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, when global vaccine supplies were in critically short supply. In a time of need, Lithuania donated nearly 260,000 vaccine doses to Taiwan in two separate shipments, making it the third country, after the United States and Japan, to provide Taiwan with vaccine aid and the first European Union member state to do so. At the time, former Foreign Minister Landsbergis wrote on social media, “Freedom-loving people should look out for each other!” This heartfelt gesture deeply moved the Taiwanese government and people. Later that year, in November, Taiwan officially opened the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, marking a historic first in establishing a representative office under the name “Taiwanese Representative Office” in a country without formal diplomatic ties. This significant step represented a new milestone in Taiwan-Lithuania relations. A key driving force behind Lithuania’s pro-Taiwan initiatives was former Foreign Minister Landsbergis. His unwavering dedication to deepening substantive cooperation between Taiwan and Lithuania is a testament to the strong bond between the two nations, despite being geographically distant. Taiwan and Lithuania share a commitment to upholding fundamental values such as freedom and democracy, making them important partners to each other.
Vice President Chiang concluded by noting that former Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis’s grandfather, Vytautas Landsbergis, was Lithuania’s first national leader after the country regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. A highly respected figure, he holds an important place in the country’s history. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, former Foreign Minister Landsbergis has become one of Taiwan’s strongest supporters on the international stage. In recent years, Taiwan and Lithuania have forged closer ties across various sectors, setting a strong example of collaboration between democratic nations. Vice President Chiang expressed his hope that the two countries will continue to deepen their exchanges and strengthen their friendship, bringing greater benefits to their people while working together to promote peace and stability in the international community.
Former Foreign Minister Landsbergis shared that this was his first visit to Taiwan and that he was deeply moved by the warmth and hospitality of the Taiwanese government and people. Reflecting on Lithuania’s path to democracy after its official break from the Soviet Union in 1990, he spoke about his grandfather, Vytautas Landsbergis, who served as Lithuania’s first national leader after independence and played a key role in the country’s transition. He emphasized that in Lithuania’s early years of independence, managing internal divisions was important, but gaining international recognition was just as crucial. The Lithuanian people firmly believed that only by making their voices heard and seeking global support could they secure democracy and freedom. This unwavering commitment to freedom and democracy has remained a national consensus in Lithuania, regardless of political shifts over the years. He further noted that Taiwan shares the same deep commitment to freedom and democracy. He was pleased to see the growing exchanges between Taiwan and Lithuania at both the levels of governments and civil society, with collaboration across various fields continuing to strengthen their ties. He concluded by reaffirming Lithuania’s commitment to advocating for Taiwan on the international stage, ensuring that the world recognizes Taiwan’s strength and values.
Legislator Lin Yueh-Chin expressed gratitude to former Foreign Minister Landsbergis for his steadfast support of Taiwan in the international community. She noted that, in addition to Lithuania’s donation of vaccines to Taiwan and its agreement to establish a representative office under the name “Taiwan,” in 2022, during China's large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, former Minister Landsbergis wrote an article in The Telegraph, stating, “The free world cannot and will not allow Taiwan to become a second Ukraine.” Through his powerful words, he advocated for Taiwan and called on the international community to jointly resist authoritarian expansion and safeguard democratic values.
Legislator Lin Yi-Chun highlighted that during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2022, then-Lithuanian Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys publicly called for Taiwan to be invited as an observer to participate in all World Health Organization (WHO) platforms and mechanisms. She expressed deep gratitude to Lithuania for steadfastly supporting Taiwan in international forums, despite external pressures, demonstrating the profound and sincere friendship between democratic nations. This reflects the spirit of “freedom-loving peoples looking out for and protecting each other.” To further introduce former Foreign Minister Landsbergis to Taiwan’s unique culture, Legislator Lin presented him with creative cultural gifts featuring images of Taiwan’s “bubble tea” and “Taipei 101.”
Legislator Chen Yeong-Kang noted that both Lithuania and Taiwan are situated in geopolitically sensitive regions, and both face external threats. He stressed that the lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine war serve as a valuable reference for both nations. By deepening the exchange of experiences between the two nations, Taiwan and Lithuania can collaboratively develop more comprehensive strategies to address the rapidly changing international landscape and regional security challenges.
Following the discussions, both parties engaged in a broad exchange of views on key topics, including Taiwan’s international participation, the geopolitical dynamics of the European Union and the Indo-Pacific region, potential policy directions of the new Trump administration in the United States, the current operations and challenges faced by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and developments in the Russia-Ukraine war. The meeting, held in a friendly and productive atmosphere, lasted approximately one hour and concluded with both sides exchanging commemorative gifts.
Vice President Chiang first warmly welcomed former Foreign Minister Landsbergis to the Legislative Yuan and joined the attending legislators and guests for a group photo. He remarked that Lithuania is often recognized for its outstanding performance in international men’s basketball. However, what is even more remarkable is Lithuania’s steadfast friendship with Taiwan and its numerous pro-Taiwan initiatives in recent years.
Vice President Chiang continued by reflecting on Lithuania’s generosity during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, when global vaccine supplies were in critically short supply. In a time of need, Lithuania donated nearly 260,000 vaccine doses to Taiwan in two separate shipments, making it the third country, after the United States and Japan, to provide Taiwan with vaccine aid and the first European Union member state to do so. At the time, former Foreign Minister Landsbergis wrote on social media, “Freedom-loving people should look out for each other!” This heartfelt gesture deeply moved the Taiwanese government and people. Later that year, in November, Taiwan officially opened the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, marking a historic first in establishing a representative office under the name “Taiwanese Representative Office” in a country without formal diplomatic ties. This significant step represented a new milestone in Taiwan-Lithuania relations. A key driving force behind Lithuania’s pro-Taiwan initiatives was former Foreign Minister Landsbergis. His unwavering dedication to deepening substantive cooperation between Taiwan and Lithuania is a testament to the strong bond between the two nations, despite being geographically distant. Taiwan and Lithuania share a commitment to upholding fundamental values such as freedom and democracy, making them important partners to each other.
Vice President Chiang concluded by noting that former Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis’s grandfather, Vytautas Landsbergis, was Lithuania’s first national leader after the country regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. A highly respected figure, he holds an important place in the country’s history. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, former Foreign Minister Landsbergis has become one of Taiwan’s strongest supporters on the international stage. In recent years, Taiwan and Lithuania have forged closer ties across various sectors, setting a strong example of collaboration between democratic nations. Vice President Chiang expressed his hope that the two countries will continue to deepen their exchanges and strengthen their friendship, bringing greater benefits to their people while working together to promote peace and stability in the international community.
Former Foreign Minister Landsbergis shared that this was his first visit to Taiwan and that he was deeply moved by the warmth and hospitality of the Taiwanese government and people. Reflecting on Lithuania’s path to democracy after its official break from the Soviet Union in 1990, he spoke about his grandfather, Vytautas Landsbergis, who served as Lithuania’s first national leader after independence and played a key role in the country’s transition. He emphasized that in Lithuania’s early years of independence, managing internal divisions was important, but gaining international recognition was just as crucial. The Lithuanian people firmly believed that only by making their voices heard and seeking global support could they secure democracy and freedom. This unwavering commitment to freedom and democracy has remained a national consensus in Lithuania, regardless of political shifts over the years. He further noted that Taiwan shares the same deep commitment to freedom and democracy. He was pleased to see the growing exchanges between Taiwan and Lithuania at both the levels of governments and civil society, with collaboration across various fields continuing to strengthen their ties. He concluded by reaffirming Lithuania’s commitment to advocating for Taiwan on the international stage, ensuring that the world recognizes Taiwan’s strength and values.
Legislator Lin Yueh-Chin expressed gratitude to former Foreign Minister Landsbergis for his steadfast support of Taiwan in the international community. She noted that, in addition to Lithuania’s donation of vaccines to Taiwan and its agreement to establish a representative office under the name “Taiwan,” in 2022, during China's large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, former Minister Landsbergis wrote an article in The Telegraph, stating, “The free world cannot and will not allow Taiwan to become a second Ukraine.” Through his powerful words, he advocated for Taiwan and called on the international community to jointly resist authoritarian expansion and safeguard democratic values.
Legislator Lin Yi-Chun highlighted that during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2022, then-Lithuanian Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys publicly called for Taiwan to be invited as an observer to participate in all World Health Organization (WHO) platforms and mechanisms. She expressed deep gratitude to Lithuania for steadfastly supporting Taiwan in international forums, despite external pressures, demonstrating the profound and sincere friendship between democratic nations. This reflects the spirit of “freedom-loving peoples looking out for and protecting each other.” To further introduce former Foreign Minister Landsbergis to Taiwan’s unique culture, Legislator Lin presented him with creative cultural gifts featuring images of Taiwan’s “bubble tea” and “Taipei 101.”
Legislator Chen Yeong-Kang noted that both Lithuania and Taiwan are situated in geopolitically sensitive regions, and both face external threats. He stressed that the lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine war serve as a valuable reference for both nations. By deepening the exchange of experiences between the two nations, Taiwan and Lithuania can collaboratively develop more comprehensive strategies to address the rapidly changing international landscape and regional security challenges.
Following the discussions, both parties engaged in a broad exchange of views on key topics, including Taiwan’s international participation, the geopolitical dynamics of the European Union and the Indo-Pacific region, potential policy directions of the new Trump administration in the United States, the current operations and challenges faced by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and developments in the Russia-Ukraine war. The meeting, held in a friendly and productive atmosphere, lasted approximately one hour and concluded with both sides exchanging commemorative gifts.