Taiwan is widely celebrated as one of Asia’s leading democracies. Yet its treatment of Tibetan Buddhist monks reveals a quieter contradiction. While religious practice is permitted, access to basic rights remains restricted—driven less by legal status than by a security logic shaped by cross-Strait tensions. The result is a system in which monks can enter,… Continue reading The Securitized Monk: Tibetan Buddhism between China’s persecution and Taiwan’s democratic contradictions
Paradiplomacy offers Taiwan a viable way to expand engagement with Europe by navigating diplomatic constraints imposed by European states’ One-China policies. But Taiwan has yet to fully utilize the tool. Key takeaways: Taiwan’s network of paradiplomatic partnerships with European cities and regions is quickly growing. With seven city-to-city partnerships, Poland is currently the most active… Continue reading Sister cities, strategic gaps: Taiwan’s uneven paradiplomacy in Europe
As official dialogue between Beijing and Taipei remains frozen, rhetorical rebuffs and military exercises have become a dangerous new form of communication. This context can be conceptualized as a strategic “game”, with the classical “Game of Chicken” and “Prisoner’s Dilemma” serving as two possible models. Because each game involves different incentives and strategic calculations, understanding… Continue reading The perilous language of silence: Brinkmanship in the Taiwan Strait
As the EU advances its de-risking strategy, Czechia illustrates how Taiwan’s longstanding significance in technology and democratic values has become increasingly relevant within Europe’s shifting security and resilience discourse. Key takeaways: Taiwan is increasingly seen in the EU as a partner within its efforts to boost its economic security and resilience. Czech experience with engaging… Continue reading Making Taiwan legible in Europe: Czech parliamentary diplomacy and the EU’s turn to de-risking
Every year, Taiwan’s government puts €35 into the pocket of every young resident and tells them to go experience their culture. What looks like a simple subsidy is, on closer inspection, something considerably more deliberate. Key takeaways: Taiwan’s Culture Points program provides annual digital vouchers to residents aged 13 to 22, designed to sustain domestic… Continue reading Taiwan’s Culture Points: A behavioral experiment in cultural policy
