The fourth Republic of China-Central America Summit was held Thursday, with a sideline ceremony for the signing of Taiwan's first free-trade agreement, with Panama. President Chen Shui-bian's (
In contrast with the challenges Chen has faced in the domestic arena, he has shown impressive progress in foreign affairs. He has made three overseas visits and declared his determination to uphold commitments made by his predecessors to Taipei's allies. Not only were foreign ties stengthened, but during transit stops in the US, Chen also made public appearances and met with prominent political figures, helping to solidify US-Taiwan relations.
Even more importantly, through his overseas visits and large-scale diplomatic campaigns, Chen has pressured the bureaucrats in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the nation's embassies to take a more proactive approach to relations with other countries. On his trips Chen has been able to see for himself the fruits of the country's foreign-aid projects as well as gaining an understanding of where mistakes have been made.
In order to maintain foreign ties in the face of Beijing's obstructionism, Taiwan often offers financial aid to its allies. Even though this practice has been condemned by lawmakers as "dollar diplomacy," the efforts to help allies in South and Central America, and Africa develop agricultural industries and improve infrastructure have had a positive impact. These efforts also supplement the campaign by developed democracies to stabilize international order. As Vice President Annette Lu (
On the other hand, the government cannot continue to provide money, equipment and technological resources without paying attention to how these are used. Many developing countries are not sufficiently democratized and foreign-aid money ends up lining the pockets of a handful of politicians. Naturally, the opposition parties and democratic reformers in these countries will blame the governments that provided the funds.
Chen has been gradually changing all this. The government now relies less on individual aid packages and more on strengthening interactions on a collective basis. The goal is for Taiwan to eventually become a member of these collectives, furthering its links with international economic organizations in the future. The government is also trying to ensure that all foreign aid projects are transparent, to reduce the risk of criticism both at home and abroad. It is also encouraging the private sector, along with overseas Taiwanese, to assist the nation's diplomatic personnel in their work.
Day Sheng-tung (
Former president Lee Teng-hui (
It is employment pass renewal season in Singapore, and the new regime is dominating the conversation at after-work cocktails on Fridays. From September, overseas employees on a work visa would need to fulfill the city-state’s new points-based system, and earn a minimum salary threshold to stay in their jobs. While this mirrors what happens in other countries, it risks turning foreign companies away, and could tarnish the nation’s image as a global business hub. The program was announced in 2022 in a bid to promote fair hiring practices. Points are awarded for how a candidate’s salary compares with local peers, along
China last month enacted legislation to punish —including with the death penalty — “die-hard Taiwanese independence separatists.” The country’s leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), need to be reminded about what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has said and done in the past. They should think about whether those historical figures were also die-hard advocates of Taiwanese independence. The Taiwanese Communist Party was established in the Shanghai French Concession in April 1928, with a political charter that included the slogans “Long live the independence of the Taiwanese people” and “Establish a republic of Taiwan.” The CCP sent a representative, Peng
Japan and the Philippines on Monday signed a defense agreement that would facilitate joint drills between them. The pact was made “as both face an increasingly assertive China,” and is in line with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s “effort to forge security alliances to bolster the Philippine military’s limited ability to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea,” The Associated Press (AP) said. The pact also comes on the heels of comments by former US deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, who said at a forum on Tuesday last week that China’s recent aggression toward the Philippines in
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