First lady Wu Shu-chen (
She was seen in front of a part of the Berlin Wall with the words "A-bian will surely win" daubed on it. She met with the Pope, received a humanitarian service award and had talks with parliament members and individuals who are friendly to Taiwan.
On all these occasions, the first lady was given a highly respectful reception. Her trip not only attracted the attention of Europeans, but also explored greater possibilities for cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and European countries in both the non-governmental cultural sphere and on the diplomatic level.
On behalf of her husband, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Wu has taken overseas trips for three consecutive years. In 2001, she represented Chen for the first time to receive the "2001 Freedom Award" presented by Liberal International at the European Parliament headquarters in Strasbourg, France. Last year, she visited the US. This year, she has just wrapped up a successful cultural tour in Europe.
On each of her trips, the first lady displayed her straightforward and humorous personality along with her strong willpower and a sense of mission. She overcame the discomforts of long-distance flights and restricted mobility to bring Taiwan onto the international stage and expand the nation's diplomatic space.
Due to geographic restrictions, Taiwan and Europe used to have very limited bilateral exchanges. Now, in view of the trends of globalization and greater influence of EU members, strengthening cooperation and exchanges with Europe on economic, technological, cultural and political levels should be given priority in the nation's Europe policy.
We should pull out all the stops to develop relations with the EU Parliament, European governments, congresses and political parties and promote exchange visits by high-level government officials from both sides.
In addition, we should study how to promote democratic and cultural diplomacy, including bilateral cultural and artistic exchanges, visits and performances by non-governmental art groups, and so on to showcase Taiwan's unique cultural and artistic essence as well as its democratic transformation.
Enhanced by democratic and cultural interactions with Europe, Taiwan's local culture will be enriched and diversified.
The diplomatic work should aim at employing our limited diplomatic resources to acquire the maximum benefit for the nation.
The first lady's trip to the three European countries initiated a diverse model of interaction between Taiwan and Europe. This tour has been the subject of widespread reports in the international media, thereby enabling more Europeans to understand Taiwan's democracy and culture. This will be of great help for Taiwan to promote international friendships, expand diplomacy and boost the nation's image.
Chen Lung-chu is chairman of the Taiwan New Century Foundation.
Translated by Jackie Lin
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
Sasha B. Chhabra’s column (“Michelle Yeoh should no longer be welcome,” March 26, page 8) lamented an Instagram post by renowned actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) about her recent visit to “Taipei, China.” It is Chhabra’s opinion that, in response to parroting Beijing’s propaganda about the status of Taiwan, Yeoh should be banned from entering this nation and her films cut off from funding by government-backed agencies, as well as disqualified from competing in the Golden Horse Awards. She and other celebrities, he wrote, must be made to understand “that there are consequences for their actions if they become political pawns of
RSS