This article first appeared on Pacific Forum, and it has since been republished with your type agreement. Read the original below.
In the tumultuous geopolitical pot that is the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan finds itself locked in a battle for identification, its every diplomatic maneuver shadowed by Beijing’s light. However, amid this battle lies an unnoticed instrument of impact: the , indigenous communities of Taiwan.
Here, there is a case for asserting Taiwan’s indigenous diplomacy, a strategy that would give Taiwan’s Pacific diplomacy new life and provide a counterweight to China’s drumbeat of investment and infrastructure. No for financial posturing nor violent bluster.
Taiwan’s indigenous cultures, from the , Amis , to the , Atayal , and , Paiwan, include a mural of nations, histories, and customs stretching back into antiquity. For instance, the , Amis Harvest Festival—a important cultural event—symbolizes the group’s strong link to their property and traditions, which could relate with other indigenous populations across the Pacific.
Also, the , Atayal women’s weaving traditions , function as an emblem of cultural survival in the face of modernization—skills resonating greatly with other indigenous populations striving to keep their heritage.
Unseen possibility of indigenous soft energy
These communities are now poised to become Taiwan’s most improbable ambassadors after surviving colonization and the homogenizing hands of civilization. Unlike China’s Han-centric historical monolithism, Taiwan’s indigenous individuals exemplify variety, endurance, and a dedication to preserve what others would remove.
Taiwan has made significant strides in empowering its indigenous groups, demonstrating a responsibility that can be immediately reflected in its politics. For instance, the , Council of Indigenous Peoples , ( CIP ) was established in 1996 to advocate for indigenous rights, preserving their languages, culture, and traditions.
Also, the , inclusion of aboriginal representatives , in the Congressional Yuan, and the 2005 , Indigenous Peoples Basic Law , provide proper mechanisms to ensure that aboriginal voices are heard, not just internally but on worldwide stages.
Aboriginal soft power is a tale of endurance, life, and self-assertion that sounds across the Pacific and Southeast Asia, where aboriginal cultures, too, have been trampled by history’s heavy shoe.
China may bring roads, railways, and bridges, but it cannot build identity. In the ideological chessboard of the Pacific, Taiwan’s indigenous diplomacy is a counterweight to China’s infrastructural blandishments, appealing to hearts rather than wallets.
Taiwan is a living parody of China’s cultural homogenization, praising plurality over conformity and the few’s rights over the many’s oppression.
Building bridges, not barges
For Taiwan, the Pacific Islands—with their significant indigenous populations—create ideal conditions for a renewed form of diplomatic interaction. Nations like Palau and the Marshall Islands, which already recognize Taiwan diplomatically, are ripe for a meaningful, culturally infused diplomacy.
For instance,  , Palau’s traditional knowledge systems, grounded in environmental sustainability, align perfectly with Taiwan’s indigenous wisdom about conservation. Taiwan’s indigenous peoples have centuries-old knowledge of sustainable practices, such as the , traditional Amis agricultural system, which has long emphasized balance with the environment. This knowledge is germane to Pacific Island nations , grappling with climate change , and rising sea levels.
Imagine, if you will, the impact of Taiwan’s indigenous environmental wisdom on island nations confronting similar ecological challenges. The , Indigenous Television Channel, which promotes indigenous languages and culture, has been a major supporter of cultural and language revitalization initiatives in Taiwan that aim to preserve this indigenous wisdom.
Programs like these highlight Taiwan’s indigenous diplomacy as a powerful tool for forming cultural and environmental alliances with Pacific Islanders.
While Beijing pours its resources into grand infrastructure projects, Taiwan can present something more rewarding: knowledge, solidarity, and a sustainable future embedded in indigenous understanding.
Fostering indigenous exchanges—in art, language and traditional practices— Taiwan can cultivate bonds transcending geopolitics. For instance, cultural exchange programs such as between , Taiwan and Palau, focusing on traditional crafts, dance, and language, offer a personal and profound connection. Cultural exchanges, unlike China’s transactional diplomacy, breed a loyalty that cannot be bought.
As I have argued , regarding UK-Taiwan educational diplomacy, such soft power initiatives go beyond state-to-state relations and foster enduring partnerships through shared cultural heritage and academic collaboration. No amount of checkbook diplomacy can replace Taiwan’s indigenous diplomacy once it has gained popularity among Pacific Islanders.
Cultural resonance as a weapon
China’s ambitions in the Pacific, framed as economic outreach, are transparent to anyone willing to look. Investments and infrastructure projects, as grand as they may appear, frequently leave a bitter aftertaste—debt-laden populations and cultural erasure.
Herein lies Taiwan’s opportunity: China’s inability to resonate culturally. Taiwan’s indigenous diplomacy provides a model of cooperation built on mutual respect, shared heritage, and cultural preservation. Taiwan’s advocacy for indigenous rights, solidified through domestic policies and Taiwan’s participation in forums like the , United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, aligns it with global movements for indigenous recognition.
For example, Icyang Parod, the incumbent , minister of the CIP, has been an outspoken advocate for indigenous issues internationally, showing that Taiwan is not just protecting these rights at home but exporting such values to the world.
Indigenous empowerment is a cause China is ill-positioned to counter, given the treatment of its , own ethnic minorities , such as the Uyghurs and Tibetans. Indigenous diplomacy, for Taiwan, delivers not purely trade and aid, but dignity and recognition.
A blueprint for action
Without strategy, Taiwan must turn this latent soft power into diplomatic clout, because all the potential in the world amounts to little. To do so, it must act decisively.
First, indigenous-led diplomatic missions should be dispatched to Pacific and Southeast Asian nations, prioritizing cultural diplomacy and environmental knowledge-sharing. Taiwan must put indigenous diplomacy at the center of its international strategy, moving it from a cultural gesture to a fundamental component.
Second, government-sponsored educational and cultural exchange programs must be launched, enabling Taiwan’s indigenous communities to connect with their overseas counterparts. The , Taiwan Indigenous Education and Cultural Exchange Initiative , has begun laying this groundwork, but these efforts need to be expanded to create sustainable connections.
Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, with their centuries-old wisdom, can offer much in areas like conservation and sustainable development, both of which resonate strongly in the Pacific Islands.
Third, Taiwan must make an assertive statement in international forums about indigenous rights, establishing itself as a global champion and trailblazer for these issues. Taiwan’s participation in forums like the , World Conference on Indigenous Peoples , will undeniably bolster its soft power, differentiating itself from China’s rigid authoritarian approach.
Of course, such a strategy is not without its pitfalls. The political sensibilities that surround Taiwan’s indigenous communities must be handled with caution because they are not monolithic. Anything less than that runs the risk of patronizing the very communities Taiwan aspires to elevate must be conducted by indigenous voices.
And then, inevitably, comes China. The red dragon will not take kindly to Taiwan’s foray into indigenous diplomacy, likely viewing it as a direct affront to its “one China” mantra. Yet, with the right framing—cultural exchange, not political provocation— Taiwan can weather this storm and come out stronger.
New frontier in Taiwan’s diplomacy
Taiwan’s indigenous diplomacy is a sharpened sword waiting to be wielded. It gives the island a rare opportunity to redefine its standing on a global scale, setting it apart from China’s crass, transactional dominance, through economic coercion.
Indigenous diplomacy has the power to shift the Pacific’s axis of influence by being used with precision and crafting alliances that are rooted in connections of shared heritage and genuine mutual respect. In doing so, Taiwan can rewrite the region’s balance of power.
Taiwan must fully embrace this tactic in order to allow its indigenous peoples to lead a diplomatic revolution. Taiwan needs to speak boldly to both governments and people.
Taiwan’s indigenous diplomacy is a breath of fresh air in a world that is suffocated by the brute force of economic might. It reminds one that cultural bonds are more lasting than any contract ever signed ink.
Mitchell Gallagher ( hj0003@wayne .edu ) is a PhD candidate at Wayne State University, focusing on international relations, Taiwan studies, and the geopolitical dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region. His research examines cultural diplomacy and soft power tactics.