Evolution and dimensions of Taiwanese Soft Power and its effectiveness in Europe

The research aims to deepen the theoretical dimension of Soft Power and Nation Branding concepts applied to the Taiwanese political and cultural context, with particular reference to the ability of these categories to communicate effectively in Europe. The different interpretations of the concepts of Nation Branding and Soft Power are analysed as well as the different implementations of cultural promotion from the democratic turn of the Country until the end of the second presidential term of Ma Jing-yeou. The communicational strategies adopted over the years by Taiwanese institutional actors and how they conformed to peculiar and specific identity instances are mainly linked to internal political dynamics. The shaping of Taiwanese national identity seemed to be the main target in most of the practices adopted in the last decades, a dynamic that occasionally fails while dealing with the syncretism of contemporary global communication. The extraordinary vivacity of the Taiwanese artists and the vibrant cultural scene of the country sometimes appears constrained within the strict limits imposed by the international community and Taiwan Soft Power fails to convey a message suited to the polysemy of post-modern society. The research hypothesis focuses on the impact of Taiwanese soft power in Europe, in particular on the inability of the structures dedicated to the Taiwanese cultural promotion in Europe to create a real impact. As Nye stressed “actions speak louder than words, and Public Diplomacy that appears to be mere window dressing for Hard Power projection is unlikely to succeed.” Taiwanese structure for promoting his image in the Western countries it is too focused on an approach incapable of adequately rendering the country's cultural vitality and the energy of the democratic process generated in Taiwan in the last few decades.