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Written by Ratih Kabinawa.
Image credit: 11.10 總統出席2023「亞太經濟合作經濟領袖會議」代表團行前記者會 by 總統府/ Flickr, license: CC BY 2.0 DEED.
In recent years, Taiwan has faced increased diplomatic constraints where Beijing actively blocked Taiwan’s participation in the international arenas and regional dialogues. This has prompted the government in Taipei to utilise creative engagement by engaging civil society or non-state actors in the state’s public diplomacy. This article reviews such engagement by focusing on Taishang or Taiwanese businesspeople who have served as the frontline of Taiwan’s public diplomacy, especially under the leadership of the DPP and Tsai Ing-wen as president.
Taishang and Taiwan’s Public Diplomacy
In a narrow and traditional context, public diplomacy is considered an integral part of state-to-state diplomacy, aiming to communicate the state’s interest and agenda to the broader international audience. Public diplomacy targets not only the state but also the people, opening a new window for the participation of non-state actors in the practice of diplomacy. Many countries have used public diplomacy to highlight their soft power in education, business, and culture. The development of global democracy paved the way for the state to engage with non-state actors in promoting the state’s foreign policy agenda via public diplomacy.
In line with the advancement of democracy in the Asian region in the 1990s, Taiwan saw a growing involvement of Taiwanese non-state actors, such as NGOs, political parties, and businesspeople, in the state’s foreign policy and diplomatic practices. The utilisation of Taishang in Taiwan’s public diplomacy gained its impetus after Lee Teng-hui was appointed president in 1998. The Taiwanisation movement or the promotion of Taiwanese identity by President Lee shifted Taiwan’s mobilisation policy (Qiaowu) from nurturing support towards all overseas Chinese regardless of their nationalities to overseas Taiwanese (Taiqiao), also known as ‘Overseas Compatriots’.
This redefinition gave exclusive privileges to the ROC (Taiwan) nationals – especially Taiwanese businesspeople – living overseas to obtain the government’s support and incentives. The establishment of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce (WTCC) in September 1994 is a testament to the substantial support given by the Taiwanese government to these Taishang as part of the government’s ‘new Qiaowu’. This centralised global association was pivotal in uniting Taiwanese businesspeople and associations worldwide. At the same time, Taiwan’s pariah diplomatic status laid the foundation for Taishang to be part of the state’s diplomacy.
Taishang’s participation in the state’s national diplomacy can be seen through various activities, primarily endorsing Taiwan’s participation in the regional economic dialogues and cultivating Taiwan’s charitable image.
Taiwan’s Participation in Regional Economic Dialogues
Taishang’s pivotal role in Taiwan’s public diplomacy is evident from their appointment as Taiwan’s special envoy in the regional economic dialogues. It is pronounced in the case of Taiwan’s accession to the APEC, where the late Koo Chen-fu, a wealthy Taiwanese business and a founder of the Taiwan Institute for Economic Research (TIER), led the Taiwanese delegations to the Forum.
Koo and TIER enjoyed more privileges than the official Taiwanese delegations because of their non-state nature, thus giving them the flexibility to lobby their counterparts. The practice continued under the DPP leadership. During Chen Shui-bian’s second term, Morris Chang, founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), and Stan Shih, co-founders of Acer, represented Taiwan during the annual APEC Leader Meeting.
Under Tsai Ing-wen’s leadership, Morris Chang retained his position as a special envoy for Taiwan. In November 2023, he represented Taiwan at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in San Francisco. This was the sixth time since 2018 that Morris Chang served as Taiwan’s special envoy to the APEC annual leaders meeting. By utilising Taishang, especially those connected with the semiconductor industries, the Taiwanese government aimed to leverage its status and importance as a critical player in the regional economy.
In the wake of heightened military tensions from Beijing across the Taiwan Strait and the ongoing trade war between the US and China, semiconductors have come under the spotlight, with Taiwan playing a pivotal role in this industry. The inclusion of Morris Chang as Taiwan’s envoy to APEC has bolstered Taiwan’s confidence in strategically securing and promoting the supply chain for the microchip industry.
Taiwan’s Charitable Image
Under the ‘new Qiaowu’, Taiwan’s businesses and Taiwanese chambers of commerce (TCC) overseas are part of Taiwan’s national diplomacy. Thus, they would be expected to participate in the government’s global outreach through charity and humanitarian activities. In carrying out this mission, Taiwanese businesses arrange their activities on two levels. They first organise donations and developmental assistance to support local communities in their host countries and, second, participate in the government’s global aid programs, targeting disaster relief funds at the global level.
In distributing their donations to the local communities, Taiwanese businesses set up charity foundations registered at the national level in their host countries. For example, Yayasan Amal Tiga Roda (Tiga Roda Charity Foundation) was established in 2011 by a group of Taiwanese businesspeople in Indonesia, serving as a platform for these Taishang in allocating Taiwan’s aid mission in Indonesia. A similar foundation called Thailand’s “Friends of Taiwan” Charity Foundation was set up by Taiwanese businesspeople in Thailand.
In addition to establishing charity foundations, some businesspeople are affiliated with the Tzu-Chi Foundation, the most prominent Taiwanese Buddhist organisation that formed several branches in Southeast Asian countries. In Malaysia, for instance, Taiwanese businesspeople have played a pivotal role in supporting the expansion of the Tzu-Chi Foundation and actively participating in its charitable activities. These charity foundations focus on allocating donations across three principal areas that display Taiwan’s soft power: disaster relief, education, and medical care.
In supporting the Taiwanese government’s global humanitarian aid programs, Taiwanese businesspeople usually work with the TCC at local, national, regional, and global levels. This aid distribution usually targets disaster relief such as tsunamis, earthquakes or other natural disasters. Taiwan, for example, donated USD 20 million to support Turkey and Syria, which was hit by a series of earthquakes in February 2023. This amount was collected from various groups of actors, including Taiwanese businesspeople.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, Taishang donated a hundred thousand face masks and medical equipment to local communities or governments in their host countries. The donations were distributed through their chambers of commerce in various regions, including Asia and the United States. This initiative not only fostered global solidarity against COVID-19 but also echoed the ‘Taiwan Can Help and Taiwan is Helping’ campaign.
By actively participating in humanitarian and development assistance, these Taishang contributed to Taiwan’s global image as a donor country and helped raise the profile of their associations. Given Taiwan’s global exclusion, garnering international support and solidarity is central to Taiwan’s public diplomacy, and Taishang is mobilised to achieve this goal.
The victory of the DPP and Lai Ching-te in January’s presidential election will further crystalise the crucial role of Taishang in Taiwan’s public diplomacy. Beijing has intensified its regular patrols in the Taiwan Strait to intimidate Taipei. It has also exercised its chequebook diplomacy to lure Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies to switch recognition from the ROC to the PRC, furthering Taiwan’s isolation. This hostile environment would offer an avenue for Taishang to support Taiwan’s international aspiration and bargaining position. Their economic endeavours are indispensable in supporting Taiwan’s efforts to maintain its presence and regional stability.
Ratih Kabinawa is an adjunct research fellow at the School of Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia. She is the recipient of the Taiwan MOFA Fellowship 2024. Her research focuses on transnational politics, Taiwan’s foreign policy, and regional ties with Southeast Asia.
This article was published as part of a special issue on ‘2023 to 2024: Looking Back, Thinking Ahead‘.
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