"My deepest gratitude to the people of Taiwan and their President Lai Ching-te for the huge honour of being awarded the Order of the Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon. What can I say? I will be with you whatever it takes, Taiwan," Landsbergis wrote in a message on social platform X.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s president expressed hope to continue developing partnership with Lithuania.
"Pleased to present Lithuania’s former FM Landsbergis with a decoration for his extraordinary contributions to Taiwan-Lithuania relations. Sharing his belief that freedom-loving people should look out for each other, we look forward to further advancing our partnership," President Lai Ching-te stated on X.
The Order of Brilliant Star recognises outstanding contribution to the development of the nation and can be awarded to Taiwanese nationals and foreigners. Landsbergis was awarded for is contribution to promoting closer relations between Lithuania and Taiwan.
In 2021, when he was Lithuania’s foreign minister, the Taiwanese Representative Office was opened in Vilnius. China, which regards Taiwan to be its breakaway province, objected to the office using the name of Taiwan rather than Taipei and started pressuring Lithuania diplomatically and economically.
Beijing downgraded the level of representation from ambassadorial to chargé d’affaires. It also stopped direct freight services by railway to Lithuania and heavily restricted imports of Lithuanian goods to the Chinese market.
In 2021, on Landsbergis’ initiative, Lithuania left the 17+1 cooperation format between China and Central and Eastern European Countries, and he urged other EU member states to follow suit.