Since leaving office last year, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has been journeying across continents. Her ability to connect with international audiences and foster goodwill toward her country continues to enhance understanding of Taiwan. It is possible because she can now walk through doors in Europe that are closed to President William Lai (賴清德).
Tsai last week gave a speech at the Berlin Freedom Conference, where, standing in front of civil society leaders, human rights advocates and political and business figures, she highlighted Taiwan’s indispensable global role and shared its experience as a model for democratic resilience against cognitive warfare and cyberattacks, reminding the European audience of the dangers their nations also face, which would only grow in the coming years.
Her activity abroad is a great help to Lai. Constrained by Taiwan’s limited official recognition internationally, the risk of provoking China and the reluctance of other states to host or even allow a Taiwanese president to transit through their territory, Lai is largely limited to video broadcasted speeches and state visits to Taiwan’s few official diplomatic allies.
From Taiwan, he secures economic security agreements and supply chain partnerships, writes op-eds for foreign media, and uses diplomatic speeches to rally support for Taiwan. Think tanks such as the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation support dialogue by facilitating non-governmental exchange (ie, “track II diplomacy”).
Tsai, on the other hand, is one of Taiwan’s diplomatic aces.
First, although she was once limited by diplomatic restrictions while president, she can now travel quietly and privately. Countries who would previously have refused her visits due to intense scrutiny from Beijing can receive her informally or academically at a lower political cost. Her speeches are not as harshly scrutinized, nor are they interpreted as official policy.
Second, Tsai has built a strong base abroad. She is already well-known among international audiences for her role as president in defending Taiwan’s sovereignty under pressure from Beijing, championing equality and human rights, and helping Taiwan become the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
Her value-based messaging, calm communication style and deft use of social media has worked in her favor, lending her respect in international media. She can now harness her new-found freedom to join vital conversations in Europe and keep Taiwan’s name firmly etched on the map of global influence.
During her presidency, Tsai helped shift Taiwan’s economic policy toward more active engagement with like-minded European partners, which catalyzed deeper cooperation on green energy, high-tech industries and semiconductors — an approach that the Lai administration continues today. This foundation of cooperation significantly contributes to her positive reception in Europe.
Taiwanese foreign diplomacy pulled a double feat in Europe last week, with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) making history as the first top Taiwanese official to address an audience in the European Parliament premises in Brussels at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China’s annual summit, adding to a series of landmark appearances for Taiwan. Speaking in front of 50 lawmakers from about two dozen countries and receiving a standing ovation from more than 150 international guests was, for Hsiao, a level of engagement that a sitting Taiwanese president cannot so easily replicate.
The back-to-back appearances of Tsai and Hsiao was no coincidence, but an effective piece of diplomatic choreography by the Lai administration — deploying two of Taiwan’s charismatic and trusted figures to boost Taiwan’s profile in key democratic capitals.
Hsiao’s speech was a diplomatic breakthrough for Lai’s administration. It signifies growing normalization of Taiwan’s presence at such international forums and sets potential precedent for more direct, public engagement by Hsiao and other Taiwanese leaders.
Hsiao might continue to deliver impactful speeches internationally, but her reach will sometimes be shaped by the constraints of her office.
The Lai administration should focus on opening more avenues of engagement in Europe for Tsai and to facilitate her involvement in international forums beyond the political and academic spaces, such as in sectors of innovation, climate and sustainability, where Taiwan can showcase its expertise and resonate with European priorities. Speaking at major tech and energy forums would let Tsai promote and elevate Taiwan’s soft power, building cross-sector partnerships, and expanding Taiwan’s influence beyond traditional diplomatic spaces.
Laura Bonsaver is a research fellow and consultant based in Taipei. She leads the Think Tank Collaboration Program at the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation.
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