People want to be prosperous, and prosperity comes from abundant resources and extensive trade. For Taiwan, a key factor for its prosperity is the strength of its connections with the rest of the world.
Global logistics group DHL keeps yearly records about how connected the world’s countries are in the four domains of trade, capital, information and people. The latest DHL Global Connectedness Index, which was published in March, ranked Taiwan 17th among the 171 countries and regions evaluated for 2021. That is two places higher than it was in 2019.
South Korea was raked 16th, an improvement of one place, and Malaysia ranked 14th, also one place higher than 2019. Given the excellent performance of these two countries, Taiwan should have something to learn from them.
The quantitative trends announced by DHL show that although the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early 2020, caused that year’s global connectedness to decline slightly, it quickly rebounded to above pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels in 2021, and preliminary data indicate that it increased further last year.
However, the report predicts that global connectedness would be held back this year, due to a decline in the momentum of the world economy, as a trade dispute continues to simmer between China and the US, along with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which started last year, and the US’ repeated interest rate hikes.
These factors have triggered soaring energy and food prices and inflation in various countries, as well as heightening geopolitical tensions. Under such conditions, globalization is facing unprecedented challenges, with emerging signs of network fragmentation, regionalization, bloc formation and nationalism. These factors would cause global networks to be restructured and adjusted.
The worldwide inflows and outflows of trade, people, capital and information are woven into complex networks, which can be clearly illustrated as maps. Singaporean academic Parag Khanna has coined a new word — “connectography” — to describe this field of study. An “atlas of connectedness” might have thousands of maps showing the global state of various parameters. Such maps show clearly how countries are connected and what volume of goods, services and so on flow between them. The connecting lines cut across national borders with their own vitality and logic.
A new definition of geopolitics has emerged, under which the territorial wars of the past are changing into struggles to connect. Connectedness can only be boosted by bolstering infrastructure and establishing close, fast and reliable supply-chain relations with other regions.
A nation’s strength in the new era does not depend solely on big ships and heavy guns, but also on economic planning, trade alliances and research cooperation, with major cities functioning as nodes to create new networks that reach out in all directions.
Many Western countries are responding to the US’ call to “reduce dependence” and “reduce risk” by trying to decouple from China and create an “Indo-Pacific supply chain” in place of the Sino-centric “red supply chain.” This trend puts Taiwan in a pivotal position, but also in a tight spot. Will Taiwan be criticized for whatever it does, or will it manage to profit from both sides? By focusing on boosting our global connectedness and being a hub in the world’s “connectography,” Taiwan can continue to ensure its security and prosperity.
Wei Kuo-yen is a chair professor at Feng Chia University’s iSchool.
Translated by Julian Clegg
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then
RSS