Taipei: 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.
According to Focus Taiwan, Adomenas, during a luncheon speech at a Taipei forum, remarked on the current global political landscape, highlighting "the rise of politics of nostalgia." He pointed out that countries like Russia, China, and Iran are seeking to restore past glories, with Russia aiming to revive the Soviet Union, China aspiring for "imperial superpower status," and Iran embracing a "backward, inhumane theocratic vision." However, Adomenas emphasized that there is no return to the past, urging democracies to become "proactive and assertive" to regain the initiative in global agenda-setting.
Adomenas stressed the need for rebuilding a powerful democratic narrative, one that adapts to the realities of the 21st century. He underscored the importance of integrating the experiences and concerns of societies outside the West into this narrative. Against this backdrop, Adomenas asserted that Taiwan's rightful place is "in the community of democracies and among the world's sovereign nations." He also acknowledged Taiwan as a pioneer in both new technologies and in setting new standards for democratic politics and human rights.
Adomenas, who served as Lithuania's deputy minister of foreign affairs from December 2020 to August 2023, is now the secretary-general of the Community of Democracies, a Poland-based organization committed to advancing democratic resilience and promoting civic participation. During the same event, Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister Fran§ois Wu emphasized Taiwan's efforts to strengthen alliances in response to the People's Republic of China's (PRC) increasing intimidation and coercion in the Taiwan Strait. Wu highlighted Taiwan's encouragement of global partners to support Taipei in international organizations and deepen economic and trade relations to maintain a free and stable Indo-Pacific region.
Both Adomenas and Wu delivered their speeches on the second day of the Yushan Forum, themed "New Southbound Policy+: Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, and a New World." The annual forum, sponsored by Taiwan's foreign ministry, aims to engage more like-minded partners in discussing how Taiwan leverages smart, digital, and innovative solutions to advance the "Digital New Southbound Policy."