As part of my Ph.D. project that analyses the nature of Czech-Taiwan relationship, assesses it through soft power agenda lenses and seeks to uncover the mechanisms and motivations behind it, a field trip to Taiwan to collect more interview data was a must. It aimed to build directly on the preliminary findings of the first phase of semi-structured interviews conducted in the Czech Republic with the prominent actors of the bilateral relationship during the year 2025.
The interviews in Taipei have been done anonymously and examined the motivations, intentions, and perceptions of Taiwanese actors as well as Czech representatives based in Taiwan, such as the Czech Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei. Through speaking with several agents involved and active in developing the Czech-Taiwan relations in Taipei, I explored how they interpret the personalized nature of the bilateral relationship, how they assess Czech and Taiwanese commitment and capacity. Particular attention was paid to whether Taiwanese actors view engagement with the Czech Republic primarily through a soft power and public diplomacy lens, or whether pragmatic considerations—such as supply chain resilience, geopolitical signalling, and partner reliability within Europe—are more decisive.
I travelled to Taiwan in April 2026 and prior the journey I had contacted 4 potential interviewees and had hoped for a snow ball effect method to come in play. That appeared to be true however, two of my previously arranged interviews had been cancelled due to personal reasons on the side of the respondents. In the end, during the 8 working days of my stay, I interviewed 6 people – political actors, representatives of the business sector, academia as well as cultural exchange.
The received data will help me to provide full coverage of both sides of the narrative and is essential not only for finishing my Ph.D. project but also for writing an op-ed that will be published by CEIAS and an academic article later this year that will contribute to and extend the academic debate about the state of the Czech-Taiwan relationship, its motivations and effects.