Lithuania's legislative head is in Taiwan to promote solidarity for democracy. Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen's visit to Taiwan is the first for a parliamentary speaker of the Baltic nation.

Cmilyte-Nielsen arrived on Sunday in Taiwan. She was invited to a luncheon on Monday hosted by Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen.

Tsai thanked the speaker for placing importance on and supporting Taiwan.

Cmilyte-Nielsen responded, saying it is important for democracies, even those geographically far apart, to unite when the rule-based international order is threatened by authoritarianism.

She said she trusts that her country's cooperative relationship with Taiwan will be a success story.

She added their relationship is a touchstone that many European countries are watching with interest.

In 2021, Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a representative office using its own name in the Baltic nation's capital, Vilnius. It was a rare move by a country that does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

The move angered China and prompted the communist nation to downgrade diplomatic relations with Lithuania.

Observers say the speaker was calling for unity of the global democratic camp against China's political pressure on Lithuania and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.