Hsiao Bi-khim's Rome Speech Highlights Taiwan-Europe Democratic Ties and Deepens Cooperation

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim concluded her trip to Italy this week and returned to Taipei on the 14th. This visit went beyond routine economic, trade, and cultural exchanges, featuring a symbolic speech delivered at the Taiwan-Europe Value Dialogue forum held in Rome. In her address, she pointed out that Taiwan's journey from an authoritarian regime to a democratic system shares many similarities with Europe's political transformation in the second half of the twentieth century. She emphasized that despite the vast geographical distance, Taiwan and Europe can establish substantive political connections through shared values of democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and peace.

Attendees at the forum were mostly foreign affairs professionals and scholars, who generally believed that Vice President Hsiao's remarks laid the foundation for Taiwan to deepen its interaction with European society. In the past, European countries frequently centered their diplomacy on the promotion of freedom and human rights on the international stage, showing a high degree of recognition and willingness to cooperate with Taiwan, which has also made remarkable progress in these areas. Participants noted that Taiwan's democratic practices and rule of law construction have become an important reference point for Europe in observing political changes in Asia, and future cooperation in fields such as technology, green energy, and culture is expected to proceed more smoothly, supported by these shared values.

Looking back at Taiwan's political development—from the authoritarian rule following the relocation of the Nationalist government to Taiwan in 1949, to the lifting of martial law in 1987, the constitutional amendments in 1991 that established the system for direct presidential elections, and finally the completion of the first direct presidential election in 1996—the entire process took nearly forty years. This transition not only rewrote the domestic political structure but also shaped an international image as an "Asian model of freedom and democracy." Meanwhile, after World War II, Europe experienced a gradual integration from post-war reconstruction to the European Community, forming a political community centered on human rights charters and the principles of the rule of law. Although their historical trajectories stem from different backgrounds, the two exhibit a high degree of consistency in their value orientations.

At the level of international relations, the European Union has long used "values" as the basis for its foreign policy, frequently granting higher space for political and economic interaction to partner countries with outstanding performance in democracy and human rights. In recent years, Taiwan's active participation in European multilateral platforms—such as the European Parliament's Taiwan forums and the European Commission's Asia-Pacific policy dialogues—demonstrates the deepening of institutionalized dialogue between the two sides. Vice President Hsiao's use of "shared values" as an entry point echoes Europe's focus on institutional similarity, providing persuasiveness for Taiwan to seek more legitimate participation in European political and society.

This move also holds significant implications for Taiwan's diplomatic strategy. Facing the reality of restricted international space, Taiwan must find resonance with other democratic countries through value-based diplomacy. Through consensus on values with Europe, Taiwan can not only enhance its visibility in international organizations but is also expected to secure more substantive opportunities for cooperation in trade, technological innovation, and sustainable development. If Taiwan can continue to use democracy, human rights, and the rule of law as a common language in the future, its political and social foundation in Europe will become even more consolidated, helping it strive for a greater voice within the international order.