Taiwan's diplomatic predicament can't be resolved overnight, nor can cross-strait relations. As each administration is elected for four years, time limits influence decision-makers' long-term strategies. As domestic, Chinese, cross-strait, regional, and international situations are in flux, I propose a strategy of adaptation and enhancement (
This strategy actively faces and responds to changing US, European and Japanese attitudes toward Taiwan by rebuilding mutual trust and delivering a positive message worldwide regarding the consistency and predictability of Taiwan's political reforms, diplomacy and China policies.
"Soft power" is a useful concept here, denoting a collaborative force that seeks to win friendship and support from other countries. Conversely, "hard power" is a punitive force that aims to pressure other countries to advance foreign policies. The two greatly differ in their effectiveness, and the former has become an important diplomatic resource since Taiwan's democratization.
Some say soft power must be defined vaguely, but it is a simple concept that embraces all non-military and non-punitive forces, including a nation's culture, political system, education, ideology, economic perspective, competitiveness, technological creativity, transparency, outward investment and foreign economic aid.
US soft power has often been examined in terms of that nation's successful political, economic and higher educational systems as well as its technological innovation. But is soft power only for major powers? Not necessarily. Research has revealed that the former Soviet Union and today's Singapore have both successfully used soft power. Appropriate planning allows any country, regardless of size or ideology, to usefully employ this strategy.
How to implement soft power? This always begins with interior affairs, as clean politics, a developed economy, and an orderly society serve to attract other countries and obtain recognition from the international community.
Second, soft power requires new ideas. Next, these ideas must be integrated with public diplomacy, agenda-setting and system establishment; thus soft power's exercise and development are necessarily tied to international communication. Finally, soft power depends on a nation's ability to serve as a role model representing progress and other positive influences capable of gaining other countries' attention and respect. There are no shortcuts to soft power, as it can only begin with internal reforms.
In the face of Chinese tactics to diplomatically isolate Taiwan, confrontation will merely "yield half the results with twice the effort" (
Next we have to define our goals, such as enhancing interaction between Taiwan and other nations and increasing Taiwan's participation in international organizations. We should pursue pragmatic goals reflecting international realities as well as Taiwan's strengths. This is a win-win strategy, since soft power attracts recognition by improving domestic affairs. Soft power can add strengths, images, and ideas to traditional diplomacy.
Singapore has used soft power to transform itself into a global society by stressing its unique development. Singapore's effective integration and exercise of soft power is a useful lesson for Taiwan's diplomatic efforts.
Lin Bih-jaw is the vice president of National Chengchi University and the director of the Institute of International Relations at the school.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
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