Hydro-Diplomacy in Southeast Asia: The Taiwanese Case

Abstract

International isolation is the main concern of Taiwan’s foreign politics. The proximity with mainland China urged Taiwan to rely on several different strategies to maintain the coveted geopolitical survival from Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Recently, among the various strategies adopted across the years, Taipei has used hydro-diplomacy to expand its presence in Southeast Asia. The main sponsor of such peculiar form of diplomacy has been President Tsai Ing-wen, in charge since May 2016. In January 2019, her inclusive policies towards ASEAN nations, particularly towards Indonesia, led to the signing of a historic agreement for the construction of a water purification plant in East Java.