Taiwan

Small Island, Big Impact: What Europe can learn from Taiwan

Professor Dr. Jhy-Wey Shieh has been Head of the Taipei Representative Office in Berlin since 2016. Taiwan is one of the few liberal democracies in the region. Its large neighbor, the People's Republic of China, is leaving no doubt that it intends to annex the island, by force if necessary. Military maneuvers by the People's Republic of China, such as the recent “Strait Thunder 25A”, which included rehearsals for landing on islands, are intended to discourage Taiwanese society. But the people and democracy on the island remain resilient. How is this possible? What can liberal democracies, where parties are increasingly questioning the achievements of the separation of powers, learn from Taiwan?

FNF: The People's Republic of China has increased military pressure on Taiwan in recent months. But so far, it has not achieved its goal of Taiwan's surrender. Why?

Professor Dr. Jhy-Wey Shieh: Firstly, the democracy of which Taiwanese people are so proud did not fall from the sky. Many courageous Taiwanese men and women lost their lives so that we could free ourselves from the dictatorship under which Taiwan suffered for more than four decades. So, never again dictatorship. For this reason alone, the Chinese will never succeed in forcing us to surrender.

Secondly, as little as Taiwan is recognized under international law, this small island in the first island chain has played such an important geostrategic role, at least since the beginning of the Cold War, that neither the US nor Japan, for example, can afford to lose Taiwan to China. China would then have access to the Western Pacific and pose a direct threat to Japan and South Korea in the north, and to the Philippines on the right and Vietnam on the left at the entrance to the South China Sea. Taiwan would then become a maritime base for China, which General Douglas MacArthur compared to an unsinkable aircraft carrier over 70 years ago. China would be able to control the trade routes of the entire Indo-Pacific region and use this advantage to forge such a powerful means of blackmail that trading nations such as the US, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, and the UK would have to bow to the Chinese regime.

Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that Taiwan may be small in size, but it is a military power to be reckoned with. The threat from China has actually been present for us Taiwanese for more than 50 years without interruption. This means that we are on guard against China around the clock. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense is closely monitoring the threat from China and taking appropriate countermeasures. For example, on April 1, 2025, China conducted military maneuvers near Taiwan. After analyzing the threat situation and possible next steps, the situation is currently being handled by the regular armed forces, which are on high alert. The national armed forces already conducted an “immediate combat readiness exercise” on the same day. The focus is on preventing a possible blockade by the Chinese army or an escalation from the exercise into an actual war.

Another important point is that Taiwan does not stand alone in the fight against the threat from China. When China's “People's Liberation Army” launched military maneuvers without warning on April 1, the US immediately stated that such escalating military intimidation tactics would only further exacerbate tensions and undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The US condemned China's baseless, irresponsible threats and military actions in Taiwan's vicinity and emphasized that it will continue to support Taiwan in coping with military, economic, informational, and diplomatic pressure from China. Earlier, during his visit to Tokyo on March 30, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the US would ensure that it maintained a strong, ready, and reliable deterrent in the Indo-Pacific, including the Taiwan Strait. Japan is an indispensable partner for the US in containing China's military aggression in Asia, and therefore the joint command capability of US forces in Japan will be further improved.

Separation of powers, independent supreme courts and an open society, which stands for Taiwan's diversity. Why is this almost unique in the region?

As you say, Taiwan enjoys a highly democratic, free, and open society and once created an economic miracle in Asia. But it is not a miracle in itself that we were able to achieve this; it is the result of the tireless struggle of the Taiwanese people, who fought for their rights despite autocratic rule.

Looking back at the history of this island, Taiwan was first colonized by European powers such as the Netherlands and Spain in the 16th century, later ruled by the Manchu Empire (Qing Dynasty), and finally made a colony of Japan. In 1945, Taiwan was handed over by Japan to the Republic of China. Barely two years later, in 1947, the 228 Massacre took place and an uprising against the Kuomintang (KMT) military governor broke out across the island of Taiwan. In 1949, the KMT-controlled government of the Republic of China moved its seat from mainland China to Taiwan, causing some two million people to flee to Taiwan. Martial law was imposed during this period. Taiwan was then ruled by an authoritarian one-party regime that banned the formation of political parties. There was no freedom of the press or freedom of expression. This was a period known as the “White Terror.”

It was not until 1987 that the Republic of China government lifted martial law, which accelerated Taiwan's democratization process. At the same time, however, the Tiananmen Square massacre took place in China in 1989. Between 1991 and 2000, Taiwan transformed from an authoritarian system to a democracy, and the first direct presidential election was held in 1996. In 2000, power was transferred between political parties for the first time, ending the KMT's 50-year rule. In 2016, the first woman was elected president. In 2024, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won a third consecutive term in office.

In summary, Taiwanese people have developed a diverse national identity through rule by different states and changes in political regimes. Over time, this diversity has contributed to the tolerance and democratic resilience of Taiwanese society. Taiwan is also a pioneer in gender diversity—we are the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. This historic path and our current diversity and democracy are truly unique in Asia. That is why we are proud that Taiwan is referred to as a “beacon of democracy in Asia.”

Since the parliamentary elections in January 2024 there have been fierce clashes in parliament. What is the core issue here? Is this a sign of weakness or strength?

First, a brief explanation of the background to the dispute in parliament: In 2024, Mr. Lai Ching-te of the DPP was elected president, giving the DPP a third consecutive term in office. However, it did not win a majority in the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's Parliament) and thus formed a minority government in parliament. According to the election results, 113 members were elected to parliament in January 2024. The KMT, the DPP and the People's Party (TPP) won 52, 51 and 8 seats respectively, and two independents were elected, meaning that no party won an absolute majority.

Since then, the KMT and the TPP have jointly pushed through several so-called “parliamentary reform laws” and steadily expanded their power, often ruthlessly implementing dubious, even unconstitutional processes. This has repeatedly led to serious, irreconcilable conflicts between the ruling party and the two opposition parties and society. This has caused great concern among many NGOs. They suspected the KMT faction in particular of having a pro-China attitude, as the KMT faction leader frequently visited China to meet with several high-ranking politicians and officials. The content of these meetings is not known.

Finally, NGOs joined forces and launched a popular initiative to “recall” members of parliament. The Taiwanese constitution actually allows directly elected members of parliament to be removed from office. It is comparable to the case when German car manufacturers sometimes recall certain models due to problems with components in order to take these vehicles off the road. One could say that this is an expression of freedom of opinion and democracy.

Professor Shieh, liberal Western democracies are accused by their enemies of being weak, especially in comparison to dictatorships. What is your advice to the countries of the European Union on how to respond to the power ambitions of their western neighbor Russia?

Precisely because Taiwan has experienced a period of dictatorship, we know how valuable democracy and freedom are and how much people yearn for them. Dictatorial regimes may appear strong on the outside, but they are often characterized by self-importance, corruption, and inhumane oppression that tramples on human rights.

For European countries, the war between Russia and Ukraine can serve as a warning example. Autocratic states such as Russia and China are never satisfied with their quest for power – they can invade democratic countries overnight, whether for selfish motives or to stabilize their faltering economies. Germany and other democratic countries in Europe must therefore be able to defend themselves, have the capacity for military defense, and be “fit for war” in order to deter dictatorial states.

This can be clearly seen from the example of Taiwan: the threat from China is omnipresent. If China were able to control Taiwan and use it as a naval base for expansion into the Indo-Pacific region, it could control shipping routes. Even though Taiwan is almost 10,000 kilometers away from Germany, trade costs for the Federal Republic would rise, the country's economy would weaken, unemployment would increase, discontent would prevail among the population, and this could ultimately lead to an unstable government.

European countries should recognize that even if the aggression of an autocratic regime seems far away, whether on the border of Ukraine or in the Taiwan Strait, the consequences of war can have serious global repercussions. Taiwan's central role in the semiconductor industry, as well as the fact that 50% of global trade passes through the Taiwan Strait, underscore once again that European democracies should not allow China to attack Taiwan. The future of democratic states is inextricably linked.