TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Mantas Adomenas was awarded the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy by Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Wednesday (April 17) in recognition of his contributions to expanding Taiwan-Lithuania relations.

In a speech, Wu praised Adomenas as a true friend of Taiwan. During the height of the pandemic, the deputy foreign minister coordinated Lithuanian government agencies to donate more than 250,000 COVID vaccines to Taiwan, making the Baltic nation the first EU member to gift vaccines to Taiwan, per a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) press release.

Adomenas was the major driving force behind the establishment of Taiwan's representative office in Lithuania in 2021, Wu said. He has consistently supported Taiwan's participation in international organizations, demonstrating his commitment to defending democracy and freedom, Wu said.

Adomenas said that Lithuania and Taiwan are like-minded partners. He said he was deeply moved by the conferral of the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy.

During a banquet later that day, Wu and Adomenas discussed the economy and trade, the Russia-Ukraine war and the situation in Europe, the expansion of authoritarian regimes, and the development of tourism around the Baltic Sea.

Both Taiwan and Lithuania cherish democracy and freedom, MOFA said. Bilateral cooperation in technology, economy, assistance to Ukraine, and other fields are growing and serve as a model for like-minded countries to assist each other, it added.

On April 12, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it would donate NT$1.7 million (US$52,463) to assist Taiwan with its reconstruction efforts in Hualien after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on April 3. 

In a Lithuanian foreign ministry press release, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis said: "Our financial support for Taiwan's reconstruction works is a sign of solidarity with the people of Taiwan."