Hsiao Bi-khim visits San Marino peak, urging Taiwan to befriend the world

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim traveled to Italy with the theme "Taiwan has the right to make friends with the world," delivering an invited speech on Monte Titano in Italy, which has become one of the most prominent highlights in Taiwan's recent diplomatic activities. In her speech, she pointed out that despite the 27-hour long-haul flight from Taipei, being able to convey Taiwan's voice to the international community here is a rare and precious opportunity. Vice President Hsiao emphasized that "the people of Taiwan, just like people all over the world, have the right to make friends and speak with friends." These remarks serve not only as a call for Taiwan's international participation, but also reflect Taiwan's determination to seek more international partners amidst changing global geopolitical landscapes.

Monte Titano is a historic town located in central Italy, renowned for its symbolic significance of long-standing adherence to freedom and resistance against authoritarianism. Since the Middle Ages, the location has been the heart of the small nation of San Marino and is often seen as a symbol of the "world's oldest republic." Vice President Hsiao's choice to deliver her speech there was intended to leverage this historical background to highlight Taiwan's shared values of pursuing democracy and freedom on the international stage. In her speech, she noted that Taiwan's past achievements in epidemic prevention, technological innovation, and human rights protection deserve recognition and study by the international community, and she called on all countries to grant Taiwan more space for exchange and cooperation free from political pressure.

The timing of this visit coincided with a backdrop of continuous tensions in US-China relations and intensified policies toward Taiwan by Beijing. The Chinese mainland has long used the "One China" principle to restrict Taiwan's international participation and has pressured countries maintaining official exchanges with Taiwan. In contrast, some European countries have gradually adjusted their policies toward Taiwan in recent years, showing greater flexibility particularly in economic, trade, and technological cooperation. As an important EU member state, Italy's economic exchanges with Taiwan have exceeded 10 billion US dollars, and cooperation between the two sides in fields such as semiconductors, green energy, and medical technology continues to deepen. Vice President Hsiao's trip is not merely a courtesy visit, but rather a demonstration through high-level interaction to Italy and European partners regarding Taiwan's critical role in global supply chains and innovation ecosystems.

On the diplomatic front, Hsiao Bi-khim's speech also conveyed a signal that Taiwan is seeking greater visibility on the multilateral diplomatic stage. Over the past few years, Taiwan has actively sought participation as an observer or special invitee in international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Although still obstructed by Beijing, it has gradually won support from some countries and international organizations. Her voice on Monte Titano centered precisely on the core concept of "making friends," calling on all nations to establish more substantive cooperative relationships with Taiwan under the premise of being free from political factors. From a historical perspective, ever since losing its United Nations seat in the 1970s, Taiwan has maintained its international space through economic, cultural, and technological exchanges using "pragmatic diplomacy." Vice President Hsiao's remarks and actions are an extension and upgrade of this strategy.

For the Chinese mainland, this itinerary and remarks by Taiwan's Vice President will inevitably draw diplomatic attention and responses. Beijing has always centered its policy on "sovereignty" and "territorial integrity," maintaining high vigilance against any actions that elevate Taiwan's international visibility. Several past high-level official visits of a similar nature have often been accompanied by China's diplomatic protests or trade restrictions. Despite this, Taiwan continues to uphold the principles of "peace, parity, and reciprocity" to promote substantive cooperation with all countries. The success or failure of Vice President Hsiao's trip will, to a certain extent, test whether Taiwan's strategy of seeking diverse partners in the international community can continue to advance under pressure, and will also shed light on the policy flexibility of European countries when facing pressure from Beijing.

In conclusion, Hsiao Bi-khim's speech on Monte Titano in Italy is not only a display of diplomatic protocol, but also a concrete action by Taiwan to strive for broader international support and cooperation through the concept of "making friends" under the current international political environment. From historical symbolism to practical economics, and from bilateral relations to multilateral participation, this visit encompasses multi-layered political, economic, and cultural implications, demonstrating that Taiwan still possesses considerable resilience and vitality amidst the wave of globalization. In the future, whether Taiwan can continue to expand its international friendships on this foundation will still depend on the consensus of various countries regarding democratic and free values, as well as their policy choices within the framework of major power competition. (Source of facts: Central News Agency)