The ¡°Dumpling Alliance¡± burst to life during COVID-19, a nifty description for an informal collective of Eastern European states supporting Taiwan. Just a few years later, it¡¯s hard to find mention of it anywhere.
The catchphrase¡¯s fading reflects a cautious turn from countries like Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia when it comes to the democratically governed island of 23 million people that China has vowed to control, by force if necessary.
Gone are big displays of allegiance, such as when Lithuania put itself in China¡¯s economic crosshairs in 2021 with the opening in Vilnius of a ¡°Taiwanese Representative Office.¡± Now countries face the delicate task of trying to support Taiwan while also securing trade and investment from China, especially as the U.S. becomes a less reliable partner under President Donald Trump.
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