TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Harvard Kennedy School Professor Joseph Nye advised Taiwan to "continue to pay attention to its soft power" during the latest TVBS Meeting Room episode with TVBS Commentator Wenchi Yu on Tuesday (Sept. 26).
"Soft power," a term coined by Nye, refers to a nation's capacity to persuade and attract through its culture, political ideals, and foreign policies.
When asked about China's utilization of soft power, Nye expressed doubt, stating that he "[doesn't] expect or [doesn't] believe they're capable of it."
Yu pointed out that China's coercion and threats only distance Taiwan, which puzzles many observers. Nye responded, attributing the issue to China's domestic politics, saying, "Any effort to use soft powers would be regarded in quotes 'being weak.'"
He suggested, "China would get a lot further with a policy of honey rather than vinegar in attracting Taiwan, but the domestic politics inside China, I mean, they are stuck with a vinegar policy, and it's counterproductive."
Conversely, Nye underscored Taiwan's advantages in terms of soft power, emphasizing that "the success of Taiwan is democracy, is one of Taiwan's great assets. That is important for Taiwan to remember."
Drawing parallels with Ukraine, Nye explained how the country managed to translate the soft power of protecting a democracy under threat by an authoritarian neighbor into hard power, "which is the delivery of weapons from the U.S. and from Western Europe."
"Therefore, Taiwan needs to continue to pay attention to its soft power," he added.
Regarding Nye's prediction for the next 18 months of Taiwan-US-China relations, he anticipated a continuation of the status quo for the next 18 to 24 months.
"I don't think the election in Taiwan or in the U.S. is going to change that. But you never know," Nye said.