TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) will deliver an address in Lithuania promoting the democratic story of Taiwan on Saturday (Nov. 20) amid warming bilateral ties.

At the invitation of Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s foreign minister, Chen will attend a forum on the fight against authoritarianism held Friday and Saturday in the Baltic nation's capital Vilnius, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

The epidemiologist-cum-politician will give a keynote speech on “Taiwan as a Litmus Case for Democracy” Saturday at a luncheon to shed light on the country's democratic achievements, COVID-19 response, and countermeasures against disinformation and external threats.

Chen will also visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation in Poland, an institution that plays a vital role in educating the public on the horrors of the Holocaust. Last year, Taiwan sponsored a virtual program run by the foundation that recreated scenes from the Auschwitz concentration camp operated by Nazi Germany.

Taiwan and Lithuania have built a cordial relationship on shared values and mutual aid, such as vaccine and cash donations. The Baltic nation has called upon the world to stand for Taiwan in the face of growing Chinese pressure.