TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hungarians on Thursday (May 9) protested Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) by wearing the Taiwanese flag and dressing as Winnie the Pooh.
Xi is on an official state visit to Hungary, but upon his arrival in Budapest on Thursday, he encountered demonstrations and protests, reported CNA. Some people waved or wore Taiwanese flags, played the Taiwan national flag anthem loudly, and dressed up as Winnie the Pooh.
Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok hosted a welcome ceremony for Xi at Buda Castle in Budapest that day. This is the third stop of Xi’s first European trip in five years and is the tour’s final leg.
Xi then met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with the primary topics of discussion being Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and infrastructure projects. Under Orban’s leadership, Hungary has become China’s significant trading and investment partner in Europe as he has blocked EU motions condemning China’s human rights abuses.
Hungarian Member of Parliament Tompos Marton said on Facebook that day: “Winnie the Pooh visited Piglet in the castle today.” The post included multiple photos showing people draped in the Taiwanese flag or dressed in Winnie the Pooh costumes, with several police officers nearby.
His Facebook also shared a video showing people holding Winnie the Pooh balloons and playing the Taiwanese national anthem, but police officers prevented them from advancing further.
Marton said Buda Castle was heavily guarded by many police officers. “They didn’t let us pass, but several Chinese were inside the cordons because they were checked by Chinese services.”
The MP said, “Momentum stands for freedom of speech.”
Expressing support for Taiwan, Marton added, “We also stand by our friends in Taiwan and do not ask for Chinese oppression, expensive and opaque loans, a university that will never open, a railway that pays for itself in a thousand years, and factories that destroys the environment!”
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