Taiwan’s indigenous population helps its diplomacy in the region

Taiwan’s indigenous population numbers around half a million, or 2.5% of the country’s population, and have called the island home for at least 6,000 years. Foreign Policy asserts that they “are possibly the most frequently colonized people in the world. First came the Spanish and the Dutch in the 17th century, then the Han Chinese.” 

Since the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War, China has actively lobbied the international community not to recognize Taiwan as an independent entity. Fewer and fewer states formally acknowledge Taiwan as a sovereign nation.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has adopted an assimilationist approach to ethnic minorities with the repression of the Uyghurs and Tibetan Buddhists as the most prominent examples. Taiwan, on the other hand, has adopted the opposite approach to ethnic minorities - encouraging the recognition of distinct Indigenous identities. 

“Successive governments have gradually added to the number of officially recognized tribes, legislated land rights, and reformed the constitution to set aside six seats in the legislature for Indigenous representatives. Tribal languages have been given the status of national languages and must now be taught in schools where there are Indigenous children.” 

The Indigenous peoples of Taiwan are Austronesians, who, starting 5,000 years ago, migrated from Taiwan to the Philippines and then spread over a vast area—across the islands of the Pacific, as far as Madagascar, Hawaii, and south to New Zealand. Today, all these cultures have common traits in language and culture.

Taiwan leverages these historical connections to foster diplomatic relations and counter Chinese efforts to isolate the island.  For example, in 2004, New Zealand signed an agreement with Taiwan to promote cultural exchanges between the Indigenous peoples. In 2013, this developed into a trade agreement, including a chapter committing the two governments to supporting cultural exchanges. More information is available at the website of Foreign Policy.