Lithuania supports PH's move to follow int'l law in South China Sea row

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has backed the Philippine government's efforts to abide by international law amid China's continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

In an exclusive interview with GMA Integrated News on Wednesday, Landsbergis said that although the situation in the South China Sea was "increasingly worrying," he underscored the importance of standing one's ground when it comes to the issue of national sovereignty.

"We do feel that the tension is rising," he said, adding that Lithuania could relate to the Philippines' plight despite being thousands of miles away in Europe.

He said that the Philippines' protests against China were very important, saying that these encourage other countries to come out and speak louder against adversaries.

"We do appreciate the steps that the government of the Philippines is taking in order to calm down these tensions, you know, diplomatic efforts, as well. I think that they are very important and timely," the Lithuanian foreign minister said.

"This is very important because usually, the adversary wants us to be silent. You know, the pressure is so hard that you just deal with it, you try to find solutions, but you don't speak about it. And that is changing. Countries are now stepping up and they're saying what they experience, talking about this and looking for solutions, how to fight it," he added.

Lithuania's experience

Asked about Lithuania’s view on China's growing global influence, Landsbergis acknowledged that some of China’s interests could be understandable, although he expressed misgivings about some of its decisions.

Landsbergis recalled how his nation experienced a "brutal case of economic coercion."

“When Lithuania established non-diplomatic ties with Taiwan, China took a decision to cut economic ties with us... This was not the first time,” he said, adding that similar cases have happened with other countries.

"The strength of their response was unprecedented—completely going from normal trade relations to zero," Landsbergis said.

The Lithuanian foreign minister said, "We're seeing that China is also using trade and economy as an instrument. In some cases, even weaponizing it, you know, to force countries to behave in a different manner. And it's a dangerous, dangerous trajectory."

Landsbergis emphasized the need for solidarity among countries such as the Philippines and Lithuania, sticking together "to manage the pressures."

He also stressed the importance of joining international organizations and using instruments that these groups could provide.

"In many cases, the main thing that does support us is international law. That the country boundaries are invaluable. That nobody can infringe on the country's sovereignty. Nobody can force you to do things that are against the international law," he added.

The Philippine government sued China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2013. The Court ruled in favor of the Philippines in July 2016 when it junked China's nine-dash claim over the South China Sea.

Beijing, however, has repeatedly refused to recognize the ruling.

Ukraine-Russia war

Meanwhile, Landsbergis also thanked the Philippines for showing its support to Ukraine's sovereignty and independence amid its ongoing war with Russia.

Lithuania was previously part of the Soviet Union, gaining independence in 1990.

"We're grateful for the Philippines' stance in in United Nations, consistently supporting the rules-based world order, especially when it comes to especially when it comes to Ukraine," the foreign minister said.

He also related the conflicts in Europe with events in the South China Sea, saying that he views global issues as one.

Even the Ukraine-Russia conflict, he said, has affected the Philippines even though the fighting is geographically far away. He said the war could affect the Philippines' food security and even national security.

"Any escalation is worrying. No matter where it is happening. You know, there are rules and obligations that bound us when it comes to the agreements and the conventions that we signed up to, such as UNCLOS," Landsbergis said, referring to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"And if there is a country that is keen on disregarding those regulations, disregarding the arbitral decisions, we tend to believe that this is deteriorating the order that we all depend on, and especially small countries like mine," he continued.

GMA News Online has reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Manila regarding Landsbergis' statements, but has yet to provide a response as of posting time.

Ukraine was home to nearly 400 Filipinos before the war erupted. Since then, the Philippine government has been able to bring home dozens of Filipinos from the eastern European state.

First official visit

Landsbergis arrived in Manila on Tuesday night, marking the first time that a Lithuanian Foreign Minister went to the Philippines for an official visit during the two countries' 33 years of diplomatic relations.

Earlier on Wednesday, the minister met with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, where they discussed enhancing technology and trade relations, among others.

"We agreed to deepen our cooperation in various areas, such as trade and investments, clean energy, science and technology, including health and laser technology, and people-to-people links, as just witnessed, especially in basketball and football cooperation," Manalo said.

According to Mariz Umali's report on 24 Oras, the Philippines and Lithuania signed two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) regarding basketball and football during Landsbergis' visit. The MOUs seek to enhance cooperation between the two countries in these sports, covering the conduct of training and conferences, exchange of best practices, and use of facilities.

The report added that Landsbergis also spoke with Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla. The foreign minister was similarly set to meet with heads of several Philippine agencies such as the Department of National Defense and Department of Information and Communications Technology before he leaves the country on Thursday night.

He also said that he extended an invitation for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Secretary Manalo to visit Lithuania.

"That goes without saying. And hopefully, we'll have a lot of meetings now. You know, since our relations started to pick up," he said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News