The Baltic country of Lithuania, with a population of fewer than three million, has become a European lightning rod for liberal democratic values in the battle against authoritarianism.

Key Belarus and Russian opposition figures are in exile there. Democratic Taiwan has opened an office in Vilnius to push for a tougher stand against Chinese expansion. Here are a few lines from my recent conversations.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, wife of opposition figure Sergei Tikhanovsky, now jailed by the Belarus regime;

It’s very important to understand that people who have been living in dictatorship for 27 years, also have to study how it is to live in democracy. You can think it’s much easier to live with dictatorship because you are not responsible for anything. When you live in a democratic country, everyone is responsible for the future.

Leonid Volkov, chief of staff to Alexei Navalny now jailed by the Russian regime;

Now, when Putin is still strong, people can’t turn out to protest because they know they will be beaten down. We have to be ready for when the situation allows. We are preparing in detail and Alexei takes part in all policy and strategic planning.

Eric Huang, Taiwanese Representative to Lithuania. By allowing his office to be called ‘Taiwanese’ (a country) as opposed to ‘Taipei’ (a city), Lithuania triggered a range of Chinese economic sanctions for which the European Union is has now taken Beijing to the World Trade Organisation.

Democracies need to strengthen supply chains with fellow democracies and not become dependent on authoritarian states. The whole world understands that we are independent country, our own nation, The Chinese government does not recognise this reality.

Matas Maldeikis, an MP leading Lithuania’s anti-China policy;

With China there is no win-win, only corruption and lose, and it wants to divide the European Union. We love Taiwan. It is a democracy, and we should cooperate more.

* Humphrey Hawksley is a member of the Hammersmith and Fulham Local Party and on the Executive of the Liberal Democrat European Group.