TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Legislative Speaker You Si-kun met with a Lithuanian delegation on Friday (Jan 26), underscoring that with a voter turnout of over 70% in Taiwan’s recent election, the Taiwanese people have sent a clear message to the world of their resolve to defend democratic freedom and national sovereignty.
You met with the Lithuanian delegation led by Matas Maldeikis, chairman of the Lithuania-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group. The Lithuanian group, which includes three deputy speakers of the Lithuanian parliament, Vytautas Mitalas, Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, and Julius Sabatauskas, and eight other cross-party lawmakers, totaled 11 members.
The speaker noted that 2024 is a "super election year" globally, with 76 countries and over 4.2 billion people participating in polls. Taiwan was the second country to vote this year, holding elections on Jan 13. This coincided with Lithuania's "Freedom Defenders Day," commemorating those who died during the Soviet Union's crackdown in 1991.
You indicated that Lithuania will hold presidential and parliamentary elections respectively in May and October 2024, wishing the country successful polls.
You emphasized that elections represent "possibility of choice," "freedom to participate in politics," and "protection of speech," rights unfathomable under authoritarian rule. He called on global democratic allies to jointly face authoritarian challenges and safeguard democracy and prosperity worldwide.
Acknowledging Lithuania as one of Taiwan's most crucial allies, You thanked its support for Taiwan. He also lauded the countries' cooperation on humanitarian aid, which saw more than 1,000 Ukrainian students from kindergarten through 12th grade return to school.