EATS Young Scholar Awards – Yung Lin

From Martial Law to Civic-Embedded Public Diplomacy: Taiwan’s Democratic Transformation and the Reconstruction of Authority

By the time martial law was lifted in Taiwan in 1987, the island had experienced nearly four decades of authoritarian governance under the Kuomintang Party (KMT). The end of martial law is often remembered as the beginning of Taiwan’s democratization, opening the path toward competitive elections, civil liberties, and the emergence of a vibrant civil society. Yet Taiwan’s democratic transformation did more than reshape domestic politics. It also fundamentally changed how Taiwan engages with the world.

My research examines how Taiwan’s transition from authoritarianism to democracy transformed its diplomatic practices and international identity. In particular, I explore how democratization, civic participation, and identity formation became resources for Taiwan’s public diplomacy in the East Asian region. Rather than relying solely on formal state-to-state diplomacy, Taiwan increasingly projects itself internationally through civil society, cultural exchange, humanitarian cooperation, and democratic participation. I conceptualize this process as civic-embedded public diplomacy (CEPD).

Civic-Embedded Public Diplomacy (CEPD)

Taiwan’s experience points to a broader shift in how public diplomacy is practiced. Rather than relying solely on state-led messaging, it increasingly involves interaction between government and society. CEPD is co-produced through evolving state–society relations. Citizens are not merely audiences of diplomatic messaging, but they are participants in shaping how their polity is represented externally.

The mechanism of CEPD rests on three interrelated elements.

First, participation: citizens are actively involved in international engagement, whether through activism, professional networks, or civil society initiatives.

Second, communication: public diplomacy emphasizes dialogue and exchange rather than one-directional messaging. This creates space for mutual recognition rather than unilateral assertion.

Third, narrative formation: identity is not projected as a fixed image but emerges through interaction between domestic and international audiences.

Legitimacy and Security in Contexts of Contested Sovereignty

The legacy of martial law is central to understanding the CEPD model. During the authoritarian period, political authority in Taiwan was highly centralized, and external representation was closely controlled by the state. Taiwan’s diplomatic identity primarily reflected the Republic of China’s claim to represent “China.” After democratization, however, new forms of political participation challenged this centralized model of authority. Civil society movements, local identities, social activism, and debates over sovereignty increasingly shaped Taiwan’s domestic and international self-understanding.

This shift became especially visible in the development of Taiwanese identity. Over the past several decades, democratization created political space for competing narratives about Taiwan’s history, sovereignty, and future. Identity formation became closely connected to questions of security and international recognition. Rather than viewing diplomacy solely as elite statecraft, Taiwan gradually incorporated civic actors into its international engagement. Universities, NGOs, cultural organizations, social movements, and local communities began participating in the production of Taiwan’s international image.

State-centric or Civic-Embedded?

This civic participatory dimension distinguishes Taiwan’s diplomatic practices from more state-centric approaches in the region. Public diplomacy in Taiwan is not simply a government communication strategy directed toward foreign audiences. Instead, it increasingly reflects the involvement of civil society in shaping how Taiwan is represented internationally. One of the most revealing aspects of this transformation can be found in language itself.

In Chinese, China commonly uses the term gong gong wai jiao (公共外交) for public diplomacy, emphasizing diplomacy conducted by the state for the public. Taiwan, however, often uses the term gong zhong wai jiao (公眾外交), which places greater emphasis on “the people” as participants in diplomacy. This distinction may appear subtle, but it reflects fundamentally different understandings of authority and political legitimacy.

Taiwan’s democratization redistributed authority beyond the state. As a result, diplomacy increasingly became embedded in civic participation itself. This became particularly visible during moments of social mobilization, such as the 2014 Sunflower Movement. Protesters opposing a trade agreement with China occupied Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan not only to challenge domestic policy but also to defend Taiwan’s democratic autonomy. Importantly, the movement attracted widespread international attention. Taiwan’s democratic activism became part of how global audiences understood Taiwan’s political identity.

Increasingly Rooted in Relational Legitimacy

Taiwan’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how civic participation and democratic governance could function as forms of international engagement. Taiwan’s medical diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, and public communication strategies enhanced its international visibility even without formal membership in many international organizations. Civil society actors, medical professionals, and transnational networks all contributed to this process.

These examples illustrate a broader argument: Taiwan’s diplomacy is increasingly rooted in relational legitimacy rather than formal sovereignty alone. In other words, Taiwan’s international position is strengthened not only through official recognition but also through trust, participation, democratic credibility, and social engagement.

Beyond Traditional Security Studies

This perspective also contributes to wider discussions in International Relations and Taiwan Studies. Traditional security studies often prioritize military capability, alliances, or formal recognition. However, Taiwan demonstrates that security can also be constructed through identity, legitimacy, and social relationships. Public diplomacy becomes not merely a communication tool, but a form of conflict management that shapes regional perceptions and reduces threat perceptions through participation and trust-building.

In the context of East Asia, where regional politics are frequently structured by hierarchy and great-power competition, Taiwan presents an alternative model of authority. Rather than projecting power through centralized control, Taiwan increasingly derives legitimacy from democratic participation and civic inclusion. This does not eliminate geopolitical tensions, particularly across the Taiwan Strait, but it changes the way Taiwan navigates those tensions.

Significance and Implications

My research seeks to bridge Taiwan Studies with debates in International Relations, conflict resolution, and security studies. Taiwan is often treated as a “special case” due to its contested sovereignty. Yet Taiwan’s experience offers broader theoretical insights into how post-authoritarian societies reconstruct legitimacy, reshape authority, and reorient international agency.

Forty years after the lifting of martial law, Taiwan’s democratic transformation continues to shape not only its domestic politics but also its place in the world. The legacy of democratization is therefore not confined within Taiwan’s borders. It is visible in the ways Taiwan communicates, participates, and seeks recognition internationally. Taiwan’s experience reminds us that diplomacy is not only performed by states. It can also emerge from society itself.

The full version of this article has just been published in The Pacific Review.

Here is the link:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09512748.2026.2686676

Substack: https://substack.com/@yunglin

ORCID: 0000-0002-9720-2666