Taiwan Today

A year of Taiwan culture in Europe shifts international dynamics through soft power.

In line with President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) values-based diplomacy policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is spearheading a new chapter in cultural diplomacy through the Year of Taiwan Culture in Europe (TCIE). Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) emphasized that this initiative exemplifies the MOFA’s concept of integrated diplomacy, which brings Taiwan’s economic, technological and human resources to bear on regional and international issues to engender prosperity and mutual benefit. “Our economic strength provides a backbone for our outreach, and cultural diplomacy conveys our values and elicits emotional responses,” Lin noted.

Cultural diplomacy, according to Lin, is not merely an auxiliary to statecraft but a powerful bridge to the world that uses the country’s tangible and intangible heritage to demonstrate its democratic spirit. Through a series of art exhibitions, film screenings and literary exchanges across Europe, the MOFA seeks to reveal Taiwan’s blend of innovation and heritage. The MOFA’s slogan for integrated diplomacy is “From Tech to Culture, Taiwan Leads the Future,” encapsulating the country’s forward-looking spirit and commitment to fostering deeper people-to-people ties with the region.

“This facet of diplomacy is only one part of a broader diversification of engagement,” Lin explained. The MOFA continues to extend work into areas like technology, public health, human rights, gender equality, Indigenous people’s affairs and environmental protection. “We want to show that everyone is a diplomat and every action can raise the profile of our country,” he said. The creative industries, performing arts, design and fine art all serve as conduits for exchange and mutual recognition between like-minded partners.

Beyond Borders
The TCIE is a large-scale, interagency initiative that involves the MOFA, Ministry of Culture (MOC), National Palace Museum (NPM) and diplomatic missions in Europe. The NPM plays a pivotal role in the project, advancing outreach as an internationally recognized institution with a vast collection and curatorial expertise while presenting Taiwan as a skilled contributor to international museum dialogue. Exhibitions in the Czech Republic and France of artifacts from the NPM are key events. “This is not just a display of cultural treasures, but an opportunity to reshape the perception of Taiwan in Europe,” Lin noted. This showcase was made possible through sustained diplomatic dialogue. Lin credited the Czech Parliament’s April 2024 amendment to its cultural heritage law as a significant breakthrough. The amendment guarantees the safety of the artifacts during the exhibition in Europe and their smooth return, reflecting growing legal alignment between Taiwan and its partners. The MOFA has worked in tandem with the MOC to coordinate logistics, produce promotional material and ensure robust media coverage.

Yu Pei-chin (余佩瑾), deputy director of the NPM, emphasized the humanistic lens that allows the institution to connect with other countries. Through international exhibitions, academic exchange and digital collaboration, the NPM reinterprets historic pieces for contemporary audiences and renders the collection accessible to a wide demographic. The Czech National Museum in Prague will hold an NPM exhibition this autumn with interactive displays featuring 10 themes including cats in art and the daily life of the literati. The NPM will concurrently collaborate with the Jacques Chirac Museum of Branly Quay in Paris on an exhibition of 85 works exploring dragons, many on show internationally for the first time, featuring calligraphy in the dragon-claw script and illustrated poetry addressed to deities.

The NPM has a guiding vision as a museum for the world, expanding accessibility and enriching transnational audiences through exhibits like “Up the River During Qingming,” which demystified ancient ritual and celebration for contemporary eyes. The museum plans to further ties with institutions like the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris and the Tokyo National Museum, while digital exhibitions are offered to Europe, the Americas and Southeast Asia. “Our mission is to serve as a global cultural bridge, connecting tradition with modernity, East with West and the local with the international,” Yu said.

Integrated Whole
MOFA Deputy Minister François Chih-chung Wu (吳志中) hosted a news conference with Lin at Taiwan’s pavilion in the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale in April, at which they lauded the efficacy of soft power. “Through these high-profile events we’re inviting European audiences to see Taiwan not just as a geopolitical actor, but as a creative and cultural partner,” Lin said, anticipating diplomatic dividends from the TCIE. “Soft power is the foundation of long-term friendships.” Showcasing creativity and heritage in diverse venues from museums to film festivals to digital platforms, the initiative appeals to a wide demographic with broad interests. Lin emphasized that this is a catalyst to deeper political and economic ties. “When European societies see and appreciate our values across a myriad of aspects, it becomes easier to find common ground on more strategic issues,” he said. The cultural diplomacy initiative enriches Taiwan’s own creative sectors as collaboration with European institutions in literature, design and visual art generates exchange programs, coproductions and market access opportunities for Taiwan creatives and enterprises. Lin believes this mutually beneficial model can be implemented in other regions, raising the country’s profile as a place of rounded development that values aesthetics as much as economics.

Lin sees a synthesis of tradition and modernity reflected in contemporary life. “We are a multicultural democratic society that integrates Indigenous culture, Sinitic heritage and global perspectives,” he said. Taiwan’s identity is fluid and inclusive, reimagining local tropes together with cutting-edge digital innovation, sustainability and social diversity. As an example, since computers entered the workplace, placing packets of a local crispy snack with a name that translates to “be good!” in server rooms and atop hard-working pieces of technology such as cash registers has become a commonplace, partly-humorous nod to the offerings presented in earnest at temples.

At the same time, Lin explained that Taiwan has its own distinct culture. “Taiwan is not another China,” he stressed. “Our democracy, our freedom of expression and our openness have developed us in a fundamentally different way.” While elements of historical links remain an important thread within the social fabric, it is just one of many aspects, coexisting with Indigenous peoples’ heritage, colonial influence and the global currents that have shaped a contemporary Taiwan ethos. “Our culture is a mirror of who we are—a free people who engage with the world confidently, with creativity and generosity,” Lin said.
 

Write to Krakias Kai at kwhuang@mofa.gov.tw