Wine is an important diplomatic weapon. What wine to use on what occasion not only highlights a country's cultural depth but usually also contains diplomatic codes.
The establishment of the modern diplomatic system owes much to France's pivotal role. The English word "diplomacy" derives from the French "diplomatie," which traces back to the Greek "diploum," originally meaning "folded" — referring to the credentials carried by diplomatic envoys, later evolving into "diploma" (certificate) and eventually into today's usage. Interestingly, from medieval times through the modern era, diplomacy has involved more than just negotiating at conference tables; the "dining table" has played an equally crucial role, with wine often serving as the most critical language of all.
Even though contemporary diplomacy has moved beyond the era of court diplomacy, wine remains an indispensable element at diplomatic tables. While today's Republic of China faces vastly different circumstances compared to its period of UN representation — with diplomatic allies dropping from a peak of 70 countries to just 12 today — what few outsiders realize is that many of Taiwan's diplomatic breakthroughs have actually been achieved amid the clinking of glasses. What role does wine play in Taiwan's challenging diplomatic environment? Do Taiwanese diplomats understand wine? And what kind of diplomatic breakthroughs has wine helped Taiwan achieve?
Wine as Diplomacy's Key Code
About a 10-minute drive from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Diplomatic and International Affairs Academy on Dunhua South Road in Taipei's Daan District serves as the training ground for newly recruited diplomatic personnel who have passed the foreign service examination. Among the mandatory courses is "diplomatic protocol," which covers dining etiquette and wine selection. Indeed, dining protocol served as a crucial key code during the early flourishing of European medieval diplomacy.
Yang Tzu-pao (楊子葆), former political vice minister of foreign affairs who served as representative to France and Ireland, cited French diplomatic sources in his writings, noting that court diplomacy involved royal families and nobility engaging in strategic alliances to defend their interests. Since personal interests were best protected by one's own people, diplomats at the time mostly came from court circles. Diplomatic work carried extremely high risks, with severe geographical isolation across Europe and weak inter-state communications. A Spanish prince on a diplomatic mission to France, for instance, might be assassinated en route, with his credentials stolen by imposters. In such circumstances, familiarity with proper cutlery and the purposes of various wine glasses became the most reliable evidence of whether a diplomatic envoy truly came from court circles — whether he was truly "one of us."
More crucially, as diplomacy represents the language of power, dining tables often concealed various messages, with wine playing a particularly important role. During Chinese Leader Jiang Zemin's (江澤民) 1994 visit to France, then-French President François Mitterrand's wine selection for the state dinner carried subtle messages. Yang recounted insights from French friends: Mitterrand chose a 1987 Château La Louvière from Bordeaux, which paired excellently with the main course of roasted lamb but represented an insider's choice, since the winery lacked high international recognition. Serving "unknown good wine" at a state dinner subtly reflected Mitterrand's attitude toward Jiang.
How Major Powers Stock Their Cellars
Given wine's implicit cultural codes in diplomacy and their ability to convey such important subtle messages, major diplomatic powers naturally place great emphasis on wine culture. A frontline diplomatic official who served in France told Storm Media half-jokingly that visiting the French Foreign Ministry always came with expectations of good wine. Indeed, the Élysée Palace wine cellar is a source of pride for successive French presidents, housing numerous premium wines — from Bordeaux's five first growths (Lafite, Latour, Margaux, Mouton, and Haut-Brion) to Burgundy's iconic Romanée-Conti.
Across the English Channel, Lancaster House near Buckingham Palace in London houses the UK government's official wine cellar in its basement, used for diplomatic entertaining. The British government reportedly spent nearly one million pounds over the years stocking the cellar, with the stored wines now valued at over one million pounds. Across the Atlantic, the White House also maintains an underground wine cellar, reportedly established by America's third president, Thomas Jefferson, beneath the West Wing, and once storing over 20,000 bottles of French fine wines.
Taiwan's Resourceful Envoys
Despite Taiwan's challenging diplomatic circumstances, Taiwanese diplomats have achieved several notable successes through wine. Yen Ching-chang (顏慶章), former Minister of Finance and Taiwan's first Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), leveraged his deep understanding of wine in 2001 to impress then-US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill during a brief 10-minute conversation. This led to their bilateral meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Suzhou, China, starting half an hour early and ending half an hour late.
David Lee (李大維), former Minister of Foreign Affairs who served as representative to the United States, the European Union and Belgium, Canada, and Australia, studied Yen's three books on wine before his posting in Brussels. Despite limited government budgets, Lee and his wife personally selected high-value Bordeaux first-growth futures. Although their official residence required a 40-minute drive to reach, EU and Belgian officials almost never declined invitations, with Herman Van Rompuy — often called the "EU President" — becoming a regular guest.
In 2021, the French Senate passed its first pro-Taiwan resolution with an overwhelming 304 votes in favor and zero against. Subsequently, France's parliament passed the "7-Year Defense Act" in 2023, creating the world's first law explicitly incorporating freedom of navigation rights in the Taiwan Strait. Throughout this process, Wu Chih-chung (吳志中), then Representative to France and now Political Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, played a crucial role. Wu recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the representative office purchased quality wines within limited budgets and continuously invited French parliamentarians to dine at the residence. "With good wine, everyone opens up for conversation," he said — and it worked. The dinners successfully brought French parliamentarians closer to Taiwan, laying the trust foundation for both the pro-Taiwan resolution and the landmark legislation.
A Warehouse, Not a Wine Cellar
While frontline diplomats abroad can strategically leverage wine, the picture back in Taipei is more modest. Does Taiwan's government possess a "national wine cellar" like diplomatic powers France, Britain, and the United States, storing fine wines for protocol purposes over many years? Sources indicate that although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received increasing numbers of visitors in recent years — with the fifth-floor private dining rooms hosting lunch and dinner receptions almost daily under Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) or the ministry's three vice ministers — the ministry's wine reserves cannot be considered substantial given its constrained budget of only several billion New Taiwan dollars.
According to sources, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wine storage is currently located in the basement of the main building, but rather than a wine cellar, it resembles more of a warehouse managed by the ministry's secretariat. Diplomatic receptions are primarily handled by the Protocol Department, which provides wine lists suited to the food being served, with final decisions made by the hosting minister or vice minister. Sources indicate that the ministry's current wine collection does not include bottles from France's five first-growth châteaux. Diplomatic sources told Storm Media that protocol wines are not limited to existing inventory, with temporary purchases sometimes made to supplement storage needs.
Notably, Yang Tzu-pao mentioned in his book *The Cultural Code of Wine* the French concept of "bottle sickness." The French believe wine is an extremely sensitive beverage, with aged fine wines particularly unable to withstand abnormal changes. Regardless of how carefully wine is handled, environmental disturbances take their toll. Fatigued and unsettled wine obviously cannot present its finest qualities. According to French wine-lover conventions, wine should be placed in cool, quiet conditions to "recover" before revealing its best. Unfortunately, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lacks a proper wine cellar where wines can adequately rest and flourish.
Gifting as a Strategic Counterweight
Given limited diplomatic budgets, the most abundant and consistently stocked alcohol at Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not intended for drinking but for gifting: the internationally award-winning "Yushan OMAR" whisky produced by Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation, a state-owned enterprise fully owned by the Ministry of Finance. Wu noted that whisky is also part of French culture — formal French meals have appropriate moments for whisky from pre-dinner aperitifs to post-dinner digestifs — and Yushan's whisky proved very popular at the Representative Office in France.
After returning from Paris to serve as Political Vice Minister, Wu took inspiration from the US Embassy's custom commemorative items and added "MOFA"-branded packaging to the distinctly Taiwanese "Yushan OMAR" whisky. Although government budget constraints limit the ministry to a basic expression with refined packaging, Wu was emphatic about its value: "This is very unique — one of a kind. It also tastes quite good. After drinking, the empty bottle is worth displaying and becomes a treasured keepsake. The effect is significant."
Taiwan has previously gained recognition through King Car's Kavalan whisky, while Lee and former Representative to the United States Stanley Kao (高碩泰) won over many key local figures abroad with domestic spirits like Kinmen kaoliang and Shaoxing wine. "Yushan OMAR," as a state-enterprise product with international award recognition, holds its own on the world stage. Meanwhile, as China leverages Moutai as a diplomatic weapon, Taiwan now fields not only kaoliang and Shaoxing but the internationally attuned "Yushan OMAR" as well.
The Human Side of Statecraft
"Diplomacy is essentially about making friends with foreigners, and you can do that in any way," said Wu, who also serves as current director of the Diplomatic and International Affairs Academy. Beyond national interests, diplomacy often involves personal emotions and preferences. When friendships deepen, people share information — giving the nation an additional friend rather than a stranger or adversary. Wine appreciation is just one approach; soft cultural elements like painting and music attract friends too, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs values these equally.
Yet viewing art and listening to music remain somewhat removed from daily life. The dining table, on the other hand, is encountered every day. In his memoir *Harmonizing with Light and Dust*, former minister Lee wrote: "Diplomacy aims to achieve multiple objectives. To smoothly advance strategies, we must not only actively build networks and continuously communicate and persuade others, but also employ techniques — such as carefully crafting food and wine selections for banquets." Despite varying dietary habits across countries, this veteran diplomat who served across North America, Europe, and Oceania clearly prioritized the art of diplomatic dining.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has long emphasized the dining table in diplomacy, making protocol training mandatory for new personnel. Diplomats often show considerable creativity: Lee, who served as representative in five countries, would rack his brains selecting local wines when hosting banquets abroad. Wu serves French wines to French guests and German wines to Germans — and for guests from Islamic regions within his jurisdiction, he prepares sparkling tea as "Taiwan champagne."
Yet a diplomatic official told Storm Media that while diplomats in major powers enjoy privileges and immunities, in Taiwan, vehicles bearing diplomatic license plates are actually held to stricter enforcement standards. In other words, for Taiwan to expand its international footprint, it may need not only greater financial investment but also a shift in institutional mindset. The national wine cellars of major diplomatic powers store more than fine bottles — they represent a nation's diplomatic vision, cultural confidence, and depth of ambition.
**Storm Media reminds: Excessive drinking is harmful to health. Do not drive after drinking.**
