Hsiao Bi-khim highlights Taiwan's democratic values at Italian freedom forum

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim was invited to attend the Ventotene European Seminar for Freedom and Democracy in Ventotene, Italy, on the 12th of this month, delivering a speech at the event that emphasized Taiwan's determination to promote the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, while calling on the international community to jointly safeguard open spaces for dialogue. This visit not only serves as a concrete manifestation of Taiwan making its voice heard on diverse European platforms, but also symbolizes Taiwan's ability to maintain interactions with other democratic nations through private and academic forums despite persistent diplomatic blockades and international pressure from Beijing. In her speech, Vice President Hsiao noted that Taiwan, serving as a "beacon of freedom in Asia," is willing to cooperate with like-minded partners worldwide to promote economic, technological, and cultural exchanges, and to respond with practical results to external doubts regarding Taiwan's participation in international affairs.

This visit has sparked lively discussions among analysts and scholars in the Philippines. Several Philippine scholars pointed out that although mainland China attempts to limit Taiwan's visibility in international organizations and multilateral meetings through economic incentives and diplomatic pressure, democratic nations should not allow such external pressure to dictate who can participate in global dialogue. These commentators believe that Taiwan's appearance at the European forum is a substantive response to Beijing's "one China" policy, proving that as long as there is a shared foundation of values, Taiwan can still find cooperative partners on the international stage and demonstrate its capability as a responsible international actor through practical cooperation.

Viewed from a historical context, Taiwan has gradually shifted from a "diplomatic orphan" to a "participatory" diplomatic strategy since the 1990s, striving for international space through diverse channels such as economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and public diplomacy. In recent years, with the United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries elevating their support for Taiwan within the framework of the Indo-Pacific strategy, Taiwan's international participation has shown a trend of blossoming across multiple fronts. As a key member state of the European Union, Italy hosting such a forum on freedom and democracy inherently carries the significance of focusing on Western values. Vice President Hsiao's invitation to speak not only demonstrates Taiwan's visibility in European academic and policy circles, but also lays the foundation for Taiwan to secure a voice in EU-related issues in the future.

Nevertheless, Beijing remains highly vigilant regarding these developments. Since 2020, mainland China has intensified its obstruction of Taiwan's participation in international conferences and even exerted pressure on voting and speaking rights within certain international organizations, attempting to undermine Taiwan's international legitimacy through the "one China" principle. Philippine scholars pointed out that if democratic nations exclude Taiwan out of concern for economic ties with Beijing, it will weaken the diversity and fairness of the international order. By contrast, the symbolic significance of Hsiao Bi-khim's visit lies in reminding the international community that the values of democracy and human rights should not be swayed by the political considerations of a single major power, and that Taiwan's participation itself is a concrete implementation of these values.

In summary, Vice President Hsiao's speech at the Italian forum is not merely a diplomatic activity, but an example of Taiwan's continuous expansion of influence within the global democratic network. It highlights Taiwan's ability to build cooperation with like-minded countries through diverse channels and defend the shared ideals of freedom and democracy through practical actions when facing pressure from Beijing. In the future, if more democratic nations uphold the principle of openness to embrace Taiwan's participation, it will help forge an international consensus against unilateral oppression, further enhancing Taiwan's voice and contribution in international affairs.