Taiwan has rightful place among sovereign nations: Ex-Lithuanian official

Taipei, March 18 (CNA) Taiwan deserves a "rightful place" among worldwide democracies and sovereign states and is the starting place in bringing back "democracy's ambition" amid global democratic backsliding, said former Lithuania Deputy Foreign Minister Mantas Adomenas on Tuesday.

At a luncheon speech at a Taipei forum, Adomenas said the world is witnessing "the rise of politics of nostalgia," with Russia seeking to restore the Soviet Union, China aspiring for "imperial superpower status," and Iran embracing a "backward, inhumane theocratic vision."

But there is no return to the past, he said, while calling on democracies to become "proactive and assertive, to regain the initiative in global agenda-setting."

"We need to rebuild a powerful democratic narrative, adapting it to the realities of the 21st century, taking on board into its formulation, as its integral part, experiences and concerns of societies outside the West," he said.

Against this backdrop, he said Taiwan's rightful place is "in the community of democracies and among the world's sovereign nations."

Taiwan is also the place "where the future takes place, not only in new technologies, but also in setting new standards and broaching new frontiers in democratic politics and the practice of human rights," Adomenas said.

"That's why this is the right place to start systematic thinking about bringing back democracy's ambition," he said.

Adomenas served as Lithuania's deputy minister of foreign affairs from December 2020 to August 2023 under then-foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis and was a member of the Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group.

He is now secretary-general of the Community of Democracies, a Poland-based institution dedicated to advancing democratic resilience, countering disinformation, protecting civil society, and promoting the participation of women and young people in public life.

Deputy Foreign Minister François Wu (吳志中) said on the same occasion that Taiwan has had to shore up its alliances as the People's Republic of China (PRC) intensifies its intimidation and coercion to change the status quo in Taiwan Strait.

He said Taiwan has encouraged more global partners to support Taipei in international organizations and in deepening economic and trade relations to jointly uphold a free and stable Indo-Pacific.

"Taiwan looks forward to working more closely with the global democratic community to defend our shared values against authoritarian expansionism and strengthen mutually beneficial ties," Wu said.

Adomenas and Wu gave their addresses on the second day of the two-day Yushan Forum, being held under the theme of "New Southbound Policy+: Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, and a New World."

The annual forum, funded by Taiwan's foreign ministry, aims to include more like-minded partners in discussions on how Taiwan is taking advantage of smart, digital and innovative solutions to promote the so-called "Digital New Southbound Policy," according to organizers.