TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a strategic bid to overcome Taiwan's diplomatic isolation from UNESCO recognition programs, Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘), a legislator from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), Taiwan's current governing political party, has proposed an innovative transnational heritage partnership to secure coveted World Heritage status for the historic Alishan Forest Railway (阿里山林鐵). During a special inspection tour on Wednesday (May 7), Tsai suggested that Taiwan leverage the railway's Japanese colonial origins to establish collaborative nomination efforts with Japan, potentially circumventing the political barriers that have long prevented Taiwan's cultural treasures from receiving international recognition.
The high-profile inspection was personally coordinated by Legislator Tsai, who traveled on the century-old mountain railway alongside representatives from Taiwan's Ministry of Culture (MOC, 文化部) Bureau of Cultural Heritage and officials from the Tourism Bureau. The delegation conducted a comprehensive evaluation of both operational aspects and ongoing cultural conservation initiatives along the historic rail line. During the visit, Chang Yu-chuang (張祐創), Chief Secretary of the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, highlighted the site's long-standing international potential, noting that the broader Alishan Forestry and Railway Cultural Landscape has been on Taiwan's tentative World Heritage list since 2003 and received formal designation as an important national cultural landscape in 2019 following successful integration of heritage resources across Chiayi County and City jurisdictions.
Taiwan's cultural authorities have demonstrated substantial financial commitment to the railway's heritage value, investing more than NT$13.74 million (US$454,000) in recent years through the comprehensive "Forestry Cultural Pathways" development program. This multifaceted initiative encompasses the creation of specialized thematic routes, professional guide training programs, and various educational publications highlighting the railway's historical significance. Ministry officials also unveiled plans for an upcoming "Taiwan Cultural Heritage International Forum," which will feature the participation of the president of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a key advisory body to UNESCO. The forum represents a strategic effort to coordinate preservation activities across government levels while increasing the international visibility of Taiwan's cultural treasures.
During the site inspection, Legislator Tsai addressed the fundamental diplomatic obstacle facing Taiwan's World Heritage ambitions: the island's complex international status prevents direct applications under its own national identity. He articulated a pragmatic vision for circumventing these political constraints through strategic partnerships that emphasize shared historical narratives, particularly with Japan, which constructed the railway during its 1895-1945 colonial administration of Taiwan. This transnational approach, Tsai suggested, could potentially create a pathway for international recognition of the Alishan Forest Railway's cultural significance despite Taiwan's exclusion from UNESCO membership. ★