The self-ruled island wants to tell the world that it is more than just Minnan culture, bubble tea and pop songs.
Among the showpieces at the 20th Taiwan International Orchid Show was a pavilion display modelled after a traditional Chinese roof structure.
While Taiwan might be better known for pineapples than orchids, it is one of the world’s top orchid exporters. Mr Lin Hung-min, the administrative affairs convenor of the orchid show in Tainan, said Taiwan’s orchid industry, which generates some US$200 million a year, produces about 100 million orchid seedlings every year, of which 80 per cent are exported. Its main markets include the United States, Japan and Vietnam.
“Taiwan is famous for orchids. We want to attract more foreigners to come to Taiwan to buy these flowers,” he said. As tensions with China grew, Taipei has rolled out what it calls a “New Southbound Policy” to strengthen ties with South-east Asia. Taiwan produces around 60 per cent of the world’s semiconductors; for advanced chips, it accounts for over 90 per cent of the global market.
Macronix International, a non-volatile memory chips supplier based in the Hsinchu Science Park, which is also known as Taiwan’s Silicon Valley, is among the top Taiwanese companies in the semiconductors sector. It supplies parts for a wide variety of products, including Nintendo Switch game consoles and electric vehicles.
Ms Stella Yu, the deputy secretary general of the General Association of Chinese Culture , acknowledged that there may be confusion internationally between Chinese and Taiwanese culture. A non-government organisation for cultural outreach, the GACC is typically chaired by the Taiwanese president. Over the last few years, it has organised various activities, including sleepovers for influencers at the presidential palace and the Matsu Biennial art event held on Matsu islands.
Sharing her assessment of Taiwan’s soft power efforts, Ms Adrienne Wu, a research associate at the Washington-based Global Taiwan Institute, said China’s heavy-handed actions mean that there are areas of opportunity for Taiwan.