南島文化作為臺灣在太平洋區域外交的柔性權力：以原住民族委員會推展國際事務為例

南島語系是世界第二大的語言家族，整體範圍是由北起臺灣、南抵紐西蘭、西至馬達加斯加島、東達復活節島所形成的廣大區域，涵納了超過 1,200 種語言。澳洲考古學者彼得•貝爾伍德（Peter Bellwood）在1991 年提出著名的「出臺灣說（或稱臺灣原鄉論）」，認為現在的證據能將最早的南島語系原鄉追溯至臺灣。即臺灣多元又分歧的原住民族語言，是廣大南島語系目前可考證最早的起源地，逾四十年來，臺灣除了是學界研究南島語族起源非常重要的目標對象，近二十年來，臺灣在南島世界的獨特性與重要性，也成為我國政府（特別是原住民族委員會）意欲拓展太平洋區域國際空間的利基。原民會自 1996 年成立以來，在聯合國原住民族議題常設論壇的指引下，推動臺灣原住民族的國際參與，建立與世界原住民族的交流網絡，2000 年以後，隨著國家南向政策的發展，開始策略性的參與太平洋區域的重要活動與組織，並在南島起源在臺灣的論述中，展開具有南島文化策略思維的國際事務，2008 年更進一步設立「南島民族論壇」，擴大臺灣與太平洋區域國家地區的交流與合作，雖一度中止運作 10 年，然蔡英文政府執政後又於2018 年再度重啟，現為我國政府當前推動太平洋區域文化外交的戰略之一。本研究係在奈伊（Joseph S. Nye）所提柔性權力的概念與策略及文化外交實例的基礎上，以歷史研究方法爬梳原住民族委員會國際事務的發展，輔以太平洋區域國家地區駐臺外交人員的深度訪談，研究發現臺灣原住民族與太平洋區域南島語族，在語言的親緣性及多次交流互動產生的熟悉感進而建立的情感聯繫，逐漸建構出獨特的南島文化認同感，是臺灣可以運用的柔性權力資源，其有助於臺灣在太平洋區域的外交。

關鍵字

柔性權力；南島語族；南島文化；原住民族委員會；南島民族論壇

並列摘要

The Austronesian Languages are the second largest language family in the world. Stretching from Taiwan up north, New Zealand down south, Madagascar to the west and Easter Island in the east, the Austronesian region contains over 1,200 languages. Australian archaeologist Peter Bellwood proposed the “Out of Taiwan” hypothesis in 1991, stating the evidence gathered nowadays proves that the homeland of the Austronesian Languages can be traced back to Taiwan. Considering the richness and diversity of Indigenous languages, Taiwan is the earliest place of origin for the Austronesian Languages that is verifiable by contemporary research. For over 40 years, besides being a significant topic of academic studies regarding the origins of the Austronesians, Taiwan has been the government’s (particularly the Council of Indigenous Peoples, CIP) niche to expand its international engagement in the Pacific region, based on Taiwan’s uniqueness and importance among the Austronesian world. Since its establishment in 1996, under the guidance of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the CIP has been pursuing international participation for Indigenous peoples, as well as forming networks of exchange with the Indigenous peoples around the world. After 2000, along with the development of National Southbound Policy, CIP started participating in significant events and organizations in the Pacific region strategically. Furthermore, the “Austronesian Forum” was founded in 2008 to expand Taiwan’s exchange and cooperation with Pacific countries and territories. Although the operation of Austronesian Forum was suspended for 10 years, it was then re-activated in 2018 after Tsai Ing-wen administration took office, and therefore became one of Taiwan government’s current strategies to promote cultural diplomacy in the Pacific region. This research was based on practical experience of cultural diplomacy and the concept of soft power pioneered by Joseph S. Nye. By sifting through the historic records of CIP’s international affairs, combining in-depth interviews with diplomatic personnel who were posted to Taiwan from Pacific countries and territories, this research discovers that the unique Austronesian cultural identity, derived from the emotional connection and familiarity under the basis of language kinship and multiple interactions, could be a soft power resource available for Taiwan to pursue its diplomacy in the Pacific region.