La administración de Lai Ching-te promueve alianzas enfocadas en valor agregado, transferencia tecnológica e integración en cadenas globales, mientras enfrenta los desafíos de exclusión internacional y coerción política.
La isla de Taiwán ha consolidado su posición internacional tras destacar como una democracia estable en la región del Indo-Pacífico y enfrentar la presión constante de China. Según un análisis publicado por el ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Lin Chia-lung, en Foreign Affairs, el gobierno taiwanés promueve una estrategia que combina la defensa de valores democráticos con la entrega de beneficios tangibles a sus aliados. Lin afirmó que la “diplomacia de valor agregado” sitúa a Taiwán como un socio indispensable para la seguridad y la prosperidad de países afines.
Desde la asunción del presidente Lai Ching-te en mayo de 2024, el Ejecutivo taiwanés prioriza el fortalecimiento de relaciones que trascienden la afinidad ideológica. De acuerdo con el artículo de Foreign Affairs, Taiwán se presenta como un actor estratégico en rutas marítimas clave y como líder en la producción de semiconductores, inteligencia artificial y energías renovables. “Taiwán es como un foso que salvaguarda el Indo-Pacífico”, señaló Lin, aludiendo al papel geográfico y tecnológico de la isla.
El texto advierte que China acelera su campaña para aislar a Taiwán, recurriendo a incentivos económicos y maniobras políticas para atraer a sus aliados en África, América Latina y Asia. Según el ministro, el gobierno chino incrementa la presión militar y limita la participación taiwanesa en foros internacionales, lo que afecta la visibilidad de la isla. El artículo de Foreign Affairs destaca que países como Australia, Canadá, Francia, Alemania, Japón, Países Bajos, Nueva Zelanda, Reino Unido y Estados Unidos han enviado buques militares al estrecho de Taiwán para respaldar la libertad de navegación en respuesta a esas tensiones.
Taiwán ha desarrollado capacidades singulares para resistir amenazas híbridas, incluidas campañas de desinformación y sabotaje a infraestructuras críticas. Un ejemplo citado es la intensificación de patrullas marítimas y la imposición de sanciones a naves vinculadas a China, como parte de una reforma legal que endurece las penas por daños a cables submarinos. “Hemos enmendado la Ley de Gestión de Telecomunicaciones y seis normas más para proteger nuestras comunicaciones”, explicó el ministro.
El gobierno taiwanés comparte sus conocimientos en defensa cibernética y lucha contra la desinformación mediante el Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF), una alianza que integra a Estados Unidos, Australia, Canadá, Japón y Reino Unido. En septiembre pasado, el GCTF organizó un taller en Taipéi con especialistas internacionales para fortalecer la detección de noticias falsas generadas con inteligencia artificial.
La influencia de China en la economía mundial ha motivado a diversos países a buscar alternativas en sus cadenas de suministro. Según el ministro Lin, Taiwán produce el 60% de los semiconductores globales y más del 90% de los chips avanzados. En 2025, la isla fabricó el 90% de los servidores de inteligencia artificial a nivel mundial. “Somos un socio crucial para quienes desean diversificar sus cadenas de suministro lejos de la dependencia china”, aseguró el ministro en el texto difundido por Foreign Affairs.
El artículo detalla que la cooperación de Taiwán con sus aliados se sustenta en proyectos de transferencia tecnológica y desarrollo sostenible. El programa “Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project” ha impulsado iniciativas en sectores como transporte ecológico, parques tecnológicos y medicina inteligente. Entre los casos destacados figura la creación de un parque tecnológico en Minga Guazú, Paraguay, inspirado en el modelo de Hsinchu en Taiwán, y la colaboración con Eswatini en energías renovables y salud.
A pesar de su experiencia en gestión sanitaria, Taiwán permanece excluido de organismos multilaterales como la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y la Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Durante la pandemia, la isla logró contener el COVID-19 con bajos índices de contagio y compartió suministros médicos con más de 80 países. El ministro Lin sostiene que la inclusión de Taiwán en estos organismos fortalecería la seguridad sanitaria y las cadenas comerciales globales.
La relación bilateral con Estados Unidos constituye un pilar de la política exterior taiwanesa. Foreign Affairs informa que, en diciembre, Washington aprobó la venta de armas a Taiwán por 11.000 millones de dólares, mientras avanzan acuerdos en tecnología y energía. Lin Chia-lung encabezó delegaciones a Texas para sellar alianzas en inteligencia artificial y fomentar inversiones recíprocas, incluido el proyecto “Taiwan Tower” en Houston.
En el ámbito energético, Taiwán y Estados Unidos firmaron un acuerdo para la adquisición de gas natural licuado con el estado de Alaska. Además, el gobierno taiwanés propuso la creación de un equipo de inversión y una flota conjunta para reforzar la integración económica y la seguridad de las cadenas de suministro. Según el artículo, Taiwán comprometió inversiones por 250.000 millones de dólares en la industria estadounidense de semiconductores y tecnología, junto con garantías crediticias de igual monto.
La cooperación tecnológica se formalizó en el “Pax Silica Declaration”, un pacto para asegurar la estabilidad de las cadenas de suministro de inteligencia artificial, anunciado tras la sexta edición del Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue entre Taipei y Washington. El ministro Lin expresó su esperanza de que el Senado estadounidense apruebe una legislación que elimine la doble tributación, lo que facilitaría nuevas inversiones bilaterales.
“La diplomacia de valor agregado es ahora la piedra angular de la política exterior taiwanesa”, concluyó Lin Chia-lung en Foreign Affairs. Según el funcionario, los aliados de la isla obtienen beneficios exclusivos que van más allá de los valores compartidos, como mayor seguridad, prosperidad y conocimiento sobre resiliencia democrática.
TAIWAN’S NEW FOREING POLICY PROMOTES COOPERATION AND RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF CHINESE PRESSURE
The Lai Ching-te administration is fostering partnerships focused on value-added activities, technology transfer, and integration into global supply chains, while confronting the challenges of international exclusion and political coercion.
Taiwan has solidified its international standing after distinguishing itself as a stable democracy in the Indo-Pacific region and facing constant pressure from China. According to an analysis published by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung in Foreign Affairs, the Taiwanese government is promoting a strategy that combines upholding democratic values with delivering tangible benefits to its allies. Lin stated that “value-added diplomacy” positions Taiwan as an indispensable partner for the security and prosperity of like-minded countries.
Since President Lai Ching-te took office in May 2024, the Taiwanese government has prioritized strengthening relationships that transcend ideological affinity.
LA JUVENTUD JAPONESA ASEGURA SILENCIOSAMENTE EL FUTURO DE SU NACIÓN
La victoria del PLD no fue sorprendente, pero sí lo fue quién se presentó para lograrla.
Mi hijo de 18 años me dijo que no sigue la política. Lo dijo con la seguridad despreocupada de quien afirma una obviedad. Luego, sin consultar a sus padres, usó una página web de comparación de candidatos para investigar candidatos, reunió a sus amigos y fue a votar por primera vez.
No es un caso excepcional.
El domingo, los votantes japoneses dieron al Partido Liberal Democrático (PLD) de la primera ministra Sanae Takaichi una victoria histórica: 316 escaños, superando el umbral de la supermayoría de dos tercios e incluso el récord de 308 escaños del Partido Democrático de Japón, obtenido en su aplastante victoria de 2009. La participación aumentó a aproximadamente el 56%, frente al 53,85% de 2024, a pesar de que las elecciones se celebraron en febrero por primera vez en 36 años. Lo que me impactó no fue la victoria del PLD. Fue quiénes se presentaron para lograrla.
Durante años, los comentaristas han retratado a la juventud japonesa como una generación perdida. No se casan. No tienen hijos. Están pegados a sus teléfonos inteligentes, vagando por la vida en una neblina digital. Los resultados del domingo complican esta narrativa.
Fuente: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/10/japan/japans-youth-secure-nations-future/
JAPAN’S YOUTH ARE QUIETLY SECURING THEIR NATION’S FUTURE
The LDP’s win wasn’t surprising, but who showed up to deliver it was.
My 18-year-old son told me he doesn’t follow politics. He said this with the casual certainty of someone stating an obvious fact. Then, without consulting his parents, he used an election matching website to research candidates, gathered his friends and went to vote for the first time.
He is not unusual.
Japanese voters handed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party a historic victory — 316 seats, exceeding the two-thirds supermajority threshold and surpassing even the Democratic Party of Japan’s 308-seat record from their 2009 landslide. Turnout rose to approximately 56%, up from 53.85% in 2024, despite the election being held in February for the first time in 36 years.
What struck me wasn’t the LDP’s win. It was who showed up to deliver it.
For years, commentators have depicted Japanese youth as a lost generation. They don’t marry. They don’t have children. They’re glued to their smartphones, drifting through life in a digital haze. Sunday’s results complicate this narrative. Young voters didn’t just express opinions in polls, they showed up at voting stations in increased numbers, many for the first time. Whatever else might be said about this generation, “disengaged” no longer fits.
The scale of youth support for Takaichi has been remarkable. Sankei/FNN polling in December showed 92.4% support among 18- to 29-year-olds. A Yomiuri survey in October 2025 found support among 18- to 39-year-olds at 80%, compared to just 15% under the previous prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba.
These figures warrant methodological caution, but the pattern across multiple polls is consistent: Young people are paying attention to politics, society, the economy and national security in our increasingly uncertain world. More significant than the headline numbers, when Yomiuri asked young supporters why they backed Takaichi, 41% cited “expecting results from policies.” Not charisma, not social media presence. Policy.
The term “oya-gacha” (the parent lottery) has become common slang among young Japanese, acknowledging that birth circumstances increasingly determine life outcomes. Without wealthy parents or exceptional natural talent, success feels like a muri-ge (unwinnable game). In this context, young people hunger for evidence that effort will still be rewarded.
Takaichi’s background offers that evidence. Her mother was a police officer, her father a salaryman who opposed her pursuing university education. She worked part-time jobs to fund her studies at a local public university. In a political world dominated by hereditary dynasties — the Abes, Asos, Koizumis — she spent over three decades building her career without family connections. The fact that Takaichi managed to become prime minister through hard work provides a role model for young people who want to believe that effort actually pays off.
My interviews with young Japanese reveal what draws them to Takaichi. “Unlike elderly male prime ministers who attend expensive hostess clubs, she stays home studying,” said a 26-year-old male beautician in Tokyo. “Her explanations are clear and direct,” a 19-year-old female nail technician in Yokosuka told me. “As a man, I want to support a female PM to prove Japan can change,” explained a 38-year-old male teacher in Tokushima.
But the enthusiasm isn’t blind. “I like that she’s serious about policy, but I’m disappointed she opposed dual surnames. That affects my life directly,” said a 24-year-old female office worker in Osaka. A 24-year-old female graduate school student in Tokyo was critical of both media coverage and Takaichi: “The geisha thing (Takaichi’s interaction with U.S. President Donald Trump was labeled ‘geisha diplomacy’ by some in the media) was racist and sexist, but I also wish she supported dual surnames. That’s important for my generation.”
Young supporters distinguish between aspects they admire and positions they reject. I myself don’t understand Takaichi’s position on dual surnames. But this capacity to hold multiple evaluations of elected officials — support without unconditional agreement — is precisely how responsible citizens should participate in a democratic society.
One distinctive feature of youth engagement in this election has been “sanakatsu,” a term combining Takaichi’s first name with katsu from oshikatsu, the fan culture usually associated with pop idols. On social media, young supporters identify products she uses. Hamano Leather bags now have nine-month waiting lists. Mitsubishi Jetstream pink pen sales have roughly doubled. She has, in many ways, become a 64-year-old influencer.
Observers view this with suspicion. For many, its consumerism masquerading as politics. But when young people watch parliamentary proceedings, discuss policy with friends and family and show up to vote in higher numbers, the form of engagement matters less than its substance. If fan culture draws young people into civic life, that represents democratic gain.
Here’s something that surprises observers who assume young people form opinions entirely through social media: Parents still matter enormously. Research from the Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living reveals that among 19- to 22-year-olds surveyed in 2024, the person with the greatest influence on their values is their mother (41.2%), nearly double the figure from 30 years ago (21.6%). Young people acquire information digitally but often process it through family conversations. My son exemplifies this. He made his voting decision independently using digital tools, yet his broader political understanding developed through years of dinner table discussions.
Not all young people support Takaichi. Her conservative positions on family structure represent genuine disagreements. But many reject the simple equation of “Takaichi = anti-woman” or “Takaichi = militarist.” In the final days before Sunday’s vote, the hashtag #ママ戦争止めてくるわ (#Mom’s going to stop the war) circulated on social media, urging voters to reject the LDP on the premise that Takaichi would lead Japan into war. Young voters weren’t persuaded. They distinguished between legitimate policy debates and fearmongering designed to provoke emotional reactions.
For young people, politics isn’t primarily about ideology. It’s about life: rent, jobs, salaries, child care, safety, elder care. They seek politicians who will address concrete problems. They keep their distance from social-media firestorms. They quietly form judgments while referencing their parents’ values and their own research.
Whether Sunday’s engagement represents durable change remains uncertain. Dissatisfaction with the Ishiba government was widespread. The opposition collapsed. Takaichi’s novelty generated genuine interest. Future elections will test whether youth participation persists.
But the doomsayer narrative — young Japanese as apathetic, disengaged, lost in digital distractions no longer holds. Sunday demonstrated that when candidates find compelling issues that affect their lives, young people show up.
My son, who “doesn’t follow politics,” researched candidates, went with his friends to the polls and voted. Across Japan, young people did the same in numbers that surprised just about everyone.
The kids are doing better than we thought.
EL CASI PRIMER MINISTRO DE TAILANDIA REFLEXIONA SOBRE LA DEMOCRACIA EN LA FERIA DEL LIBRO DE TAIPÉI
El exlegislador tailandés Pita Limjaroenrat habló en la Exposición Internacional del Libro de Taipéi sobre democracia, esperanza y perseverancia política mientras promocionaba sus memorias, “El Casi Primer Ministro”, cuya primera traducción al extranjero se publicó en Taiwán.
Pita entró en la política en 2019 como diputado por lista del partido opositor Partido Futuro Adelante. Tras la disolución del partido al año siguiente, lideró a su sucesor, el Partido Avanzar, a la victoria en las elecciones generales tailandesas de 2023.
A pesar de obtener la mayoría de los escaños, el Senado tailandés, cuyos miembros fueron nombrados por la junta militar anterior, impidió que Pita se convirtiera en primer ministro.
En agosto de 2024, el Tribunal Constitucional tailandés disolvió el Partido Avanzar tras dictaminar que su propuesta de reformar la ley de lesa majestad, que penaliza los presuntos insultos contra la monarquía, constituía un intento de socavarla. El tribunal también prohibió al líder del partido Pita participar en la política durante 10 años, una decisión que provocó expresiones de “decepción” en la ONU.
Fuente: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/02/10/2003852105
THAILAND’S ‘ALMOST PRIME MINISTER’ REFLECTS ON DEMOCRACIY AT TAIPEI BOOK FAIR
Former Thai lawmaker Pita Limjaroenrat spoke at the Taipei International Book Exhibition about democracy, hope and political perseverance while promoting his memoir The Almost Prime Minister saw its first overseas translation published in Taiwan.
Pita entered politics in 2019 as a party-list lawmaker with the opposition Future Forward Party. After the party was dissolved the following year, he went on to lead its successor, the Move Forward Party, to victory in Thailand’s 2023 general election.
Despite winning the most seats, Pita was blocked from becoming prime minister by the Thai Senate, whose members were appointed by the previous military junta.
In August 2024, the Thai Constitutional Court dissolved the Move Forward Party after ruling that its proposal to reform the lese-majeste law, which criminalizes perceived insults against the monarchy, amounted to an attempt to undermine the monarchy.
The court also barred party leader Pita from politics for 10 years, a decision that drew expressions of “disappointment” from the UN.
Describing himself as the “designated survivor” of the Future Forward Party, Pita said he took the lead in its successor following the party’s dissolution.
While Pita was in Taipei, the movement was contesting its third election under its third incarnation, the People’s Party.
Saying it was too early to comment on the election outcome, Pita said he remained optimistic, describing hope as essential to political resilience.
“They can disband parties, but they cannot take away people’s hope,” he said.
Ultimately, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai Party won Sunday’s general election.
Meanwhile, Pita said Thais are increasingly viewing democracy as a lived experience of fairness and open participation, adding that political engagement continues to grow.
He also addressed what he described as a global trend of democratic backsliding, saying that “the new world order is no world order.”
Societies must work together, including Taiwan and Thailand, which share a culture of perseverance, he said.
Highlighting people-to-people ties, Pita recalled being able to find Taiwanese beef noodle soup “just a bike ride away” from his home in Thailand and seeing a family holding mixed passports while flying to Taipei for the book event.
Taiwanese businesses and workers have been active in Thailand for more than three decades, alongside steady growth in bilateral trade and investment, he added.
Despite being barred from politics for a decade, Pita said he remains patient and optimistic, counting down the remaining eight years before he can re-enter public life.
“I feel like I’m up for the new challenge of the new world that is coming up,” he said.
Published twice per week by Nuevo Poder. Articles and op-eds focusing on geopolitical issues around Indo-Pacific area
Editor: LW, senior fellow of REDCAEM and CESCOS
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