Taiwan’s culture wars from “re-China-ization” to “Taiwan-ization” and beyond: President Tsai Ing-wen’s cultural policy in long-term perspective

Tsai Ing-wen’s cultural policy has attempted to end a “culture war” between the KMT’s re-China-ization and the DPP’s Taiwanization. Tsai’s Taiwan’s Cultural and Artistic Renaissance contrasts with the Chinese Cultural Renaissance Movement promoted by Chiang Kai-shek. Her 21st Century Taiwan’s Overall Cultural Construction resonates with the Overall Community Construction proposed by President Lee Teng-hui, and the New Homeland Community Construction advocated by President Chen Shui-bian. The three “Construction” policies were three forms of Taiwanization which gradually replaced Chiang Kai-shek’s and Chiang Ching-kuo’s re-China-ization after 1987. Tsai’s reconvening of the Nationwide Cultural Congress, earlier held by Lee and Chen, produced a new Cultural Policy White Paper, signaling a new direction for Taiwanese cultural development. Tsai has encouraged multi-culturalism and diversification, rejecting the binary re-China-ization vs. Taiwanization conflict, and emphasizing democratic governance, civic participation and internationalist cultural diplomacy. The success of her efforts is not yet assured.