‘Lithuania mania’ sweeps Taiwan as Beijing’s spat with Vilnius sizzles

Name: Taiwanese supporters queue up to buy Lithuanian rum held up by mainland China
Uploaded: 2022-03-09T05:26:20.000Z
Duration: 1 min 48 s
Description: Taiwanese supporters queue up to buy Lithuanian rum held up by mainland China

A tiny population of Lithuanians find they are feted in Taiwan after their country allowed the island to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius last year

Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen, when asked where she would most like to visit post-pandemic, named Lithuania, describing it as ‘a very brave country’

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Members of the Lithuanian community in Taiwan celebrate their country’s Independence Day at a gathering in Taipei. Lithuanians find themselves applauded on the island after their nation stood up to Beijing last year. Photo: AFP

Agence France-Presse

Published: 1:26pm, 9 Mar 2022Updated: 2:44pm, 9 Mar 2022

The tiny handful of Lithuanians living in Taiwan are suddenly in vogue among the island’s residents after their small Baltic nation did something Taipei has long staked its identity on: it stood up to Beijing.

In the months since Taiwan opened a de facto embassy in Vilnius, Richard Sedinkinas said he had started to receive applause in restaurants once wait staff realised where he was from.

It does not matter that the 41-year-old boxing instructor, as well as about two dozen other Lithuanians living in Taiwan, had nothing to do with their country’s decision.

“People like to show appreciation – they treasure that somebody supports Taiwan in the face of this giant country [next door],” Sedinkinas said.

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Taiwanese supporters queue up to buy Lithuanian rum held up by mainland China

Beijing regards self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory, and it balks at any international support for the island’s sovereignty.