Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has awarded the “Goodwill Diplomacy Medal” to Dovilė Šakalienė, a member of Lithuania’s parliament and former defence minister, in recognition of her support for closer Taiwan–Lithuania ties.

According to a MOFA press release, at a ceremony on March 19, Lin praised Šakalienė as a longstanding supporter of Taiwan, highlighting her backing during the establishment of Taipei’s representative office in Lithuania. Lin further noted her role in advancing Lithuania’s first Indo-Pacific security strategy while serving as her nation’s defence minister.

The Taiwanese minister said economic links between the two nations had also strengthened, citing a 2024 visit by a Taiwanese drone industry delegation that led to a memorandum of understanding and new bilateral business opportunities. Despite the geographical distance between the two countries. Lin added that Taiwan and Lithuania were bound by shared values including democracy, freedom and the rule of law- a common accolade by Taiwanese politicians.

Šakalienė meanwhile said that Taiwan and Ukraine shared a strong commitment to democratic values and resilience, expressing hope that Taiwan and Europe would continue to build a more robust democratic supply chain, particularly in technology and security. She went on to say that closer co-operation among and between democracies was essential in countering authoritarian expansion.