TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Legislators in Lithuania are planning a visit to Taiwan in December in the latest confirmation of warming ties between the two countries, reports said Saturday (Oct. 2).

Since Taiwan announced in July that its planned office in Vilnius would bear the name “Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania,” relations between China and the Baltic nation have deteriorated, with recalls of ambassadors and Beijing imposing economic sanctions. On Thursday (Sept. 30), the Lithuanian parliament approved a motion setting out the legal basis for the country opening representative offices in countries that are not official allies, such as Taiwan.

Matas Maldeikis, the chairman of a Taiwan friendship group at the parliament, said he was planning to travel to Taiwan with a group of colleagues in early December, CNA reported. He also called on like-minded nations to resist authoritarianism around the world.

The parliamentarian said the establishment of representative offices was only the first step on a road to improve bilateral political and economic relations. Both countries faced similar historic challenges, he said, apparently in a reference to threats from Russia, Belarus, and China.

Maldeikis made the remarks in a letter to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉), who invited him to Taiwan.

The bullying of Lithuania by China over the past few months has provoked expressions of support for the Baltic nation across Europe. Members of the European Parliament and European legislators have called for courage and stronger vocal support of Vilnius.