The US Secretary of State confirmed his support for Lithuania over China and Belarus

“Secretary of State A. Blinken expressed strong US solidarity with our NATO ally and European Union (EU) partner Lithuania, which has faced pressure from the People’s Republic of China. Secretary of State A Blinken and [Lietuvos] the chancellor also discussed the ruthless [Aliaksandro] The Lukashenko regime’s repression against Belarusian civil society, “the department said in a statement.

The report said the parties reaffirmed “their strong support for the pro-democracy movement in Belarus and called on the Lukashenko regime to immediately end the crackdown on Belarus and to campaign against the movement of illegal immigrants across its borders.”

“We appreciate the strong support of the United States and the exceptional political and diplomatic solidarity with Lithuania, while resisting pressure from authoritarian regimes and upholding democratic values,” G. Landsbergis said in the Foreign Ministry report.

Meanwhile, Robert Menendez, Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, commented to BNS that “Lithuania is a staunch defender of democracy and freedom and I am proud of the opportunity to work with our partners in Vilnius to strengthen our relationship at a time of common challenges in Europe and around the world ”.

According to him, “Lithuania’s support for democracies like Taiwan is particularly inspiring.”

“When Lithuania faces diplomatic and economic pressure from China, I am confident that the Lithuanian government and the Lithuanian people will uphold our common values ​​and interests and do the right thing, as they have done many times in the past. And the United States must continue. supporting Lithuania as it supports democracy, “added R. Menéndez.

China called its ambassador in Vilnius for consultations earlier this month due to Lithuania’s deepening ties with Taiwan, and also called for the removal of the Lithuanian ambassador in Beijing.

China’s Foreign Ministry said at the time that such a decision was motivated by a desire to open a Taiwanese representation in Lithuania. In its report, the ministry declared that this “decision is a flagrant violation of the Lithuanian-Chinese communication on the establishment of diplomatic relations and undermines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China.”

This year, more than 4.1 thousand people entered Lithuania through the border with Belarus. illegal migrants. Lithuania accuses the Minsk regime of organizing migration flows and calls it hybrid aggression. As a result, a state of emergency has been declared in the country.