Sports diplomacy remains an underappreciated tool that can help Taiwan become the most valuable player of the democratic world.
The historical win of the Taiwanese national baseball team at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 championship has captivated the global sports community. The Taiwanese public was filled with energizing pride as the world witnessed the island country of 23 million people claim a victory over baseball powerhouses such as Japan and the US.
Sports are always political. In this case, the political message is clear: Taiwan is a thriving democracy and an emerging champion of athletic excellence. However, due to unfair pressure from China’s totalitarian regime, it cannot win global championships under its true name.
CZECH VISIT
A few weeks ago, the Czech baseball team came to Taipei. Although the European team comprises dedicated amateurs rather than professional athletes, they competed with the Taiwanese national team in friendly games. This exhibition visit from Prague allowed the Taiwanese team to display the proper name of their country, Taiwan, on their jerseys. Normally, Chinese pressure absurdly forces Taiwanese athletes to hide behind the “Chinese Taipei” label, a weak and awkward construct for formally regulated international games.
A highlight of the tour, which also showcased its importance for the Taiwanese side, was a visit to the Presidential Office Building, where President William Lai (賴清德) received the team in a “TAIWAN” jersey. The Czech baseball junket to Taiwan truly embodied the fair-play spirit. The two teams competed in a friendly game, while Taiwan was finally called by its real name, including by its worthy opponent.
While the island democracy cannot unilaterally change the absurd rules of the International Olympic Committee, it can build up its soft power through effective sports diplomacy. The country offers a welcoming atmosphere, top-notch baseball teams and facilities, and warm early spring weather coinciding with the training season.
OPPORTUNITIES
Sports diplomacy is also a viable avenue to deepen Taiwan’s engagements with Europe. The WBSC ranks the Netherlands No. 7 and Czechia No. 15 among the world’s top-performing teams. Since European baseball leagues usually start around April, the teams look for areas in warmer weather to carry out their training in the preceding months. For example, the Czech national team usually travel to the Spanish island of Tenerife.
Taiwan has a unique opportunity to offer European baseball teams the option for early spring practice and exhibition games. European national squads are usually searching for quality facilities, warm weather and professional teams to compete with in practice games before the European season starts. That is why Taiwan is an ideal spot.
Taiwan could use the rare opportunity to play against European counterparts and make these exhibition games into a visible showcase of friendship between democratic states. Czechia is already Taiwan’s best friend in Europe, while the Netherlands is boosting its ties with Taipei. These opportunities are a perfect match — for sport and geopolitical reasons.
Jakub Janda is the director of the Prague-headquartered European Values Center for Security Policy, the first European think tank with a permanent office in Taiwan. He serves as a visiting fellow at the Institute for National Defence and Security Research in Taipei. He is a former Czech baseball pitcher.
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