Taiwan's Think Tank Diplomacy in the Trump–Tsai Era: Leveraging Intersocietal Networks and Increasing Government Support

Abstract:When tensions between rival great powers become less predictable, how do small powers exploit their flexibility to increase their opportunities for survival? As a small power caught between China and the United States, Taiwan has established a unique brand of public diplomacy that seeks to win influence in Washington by influencing elite opinions and further deepening the already intricate social connections within the policy community. Through process tracing, this article uses generic case analyses of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) and the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) to address one area of apparent continuity and one area of apparent intensification in Taiwan's think tank diplomacy. The article concludes that, as much as funding and democratic values are significant factors, the deepening of intersocietal ties enables Taiwan to punch above its weight in influencing Washington's thinking, while reinforcing and maintaining the connections between them.