As the conflict over the presidential election continued, China on Tuesday declared that it had established relations with one of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, Dominica. This was an attempt to shame President Chen Shui-bian (
This is no new trick. Anyone familiar with diplomatic affairs understood that China would find some way to take revenge. It was simply a question of where it would apply its efforts.
We are reminded that Liberia severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan a mere three days after last year's Double Ten National Day celebrations. Word later came from Liberia that China had wanted the decision to be announced on Oct. 10 to produce maximum embarrassment for Taiwan, but Liberia chose to make the announcement on the 13th since it had no intention of also ending its friendly relations with Taiwan.
Although we think it shameful that the largest country in East Asia would resort to such treacherous diplomatic behavior, this has long been the norm. As Taiwan knows from its experience in the international arena, China is small-minded in its behavior, although it claims to be an example of benevolence and morality. It really would be strange if Beijing didn't try to avenge Chen's re-election. But this act of pettiness in fact puts the lie to China's claim that it didn't care who won the election.
China, a face-loving country, finds it a loss of face that Chen, despite all challenges, managed to organize the referendum and win the hard-fought campaign. China thus poured financial aid into Taiwan's ally to regain some of its beloved face.
This is certainly regrettable. Not long ago, Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) promised to work to create an opportunity for peaceful cross-strait dialogue. His remarks, so refreshing, gave us hope that he intended to leave past Chinese sabre-rattling behind.
However, trust has once again been sabotaged by this sneaky move from Beijing. We cannot but wonder if Hu is truly different from his predecessors, or if he only is better at applying the cosmetic of rhetoric.
Putting aside the cross-strait issue, Taiwan's contribution to developing countries is widely acknowledged. Tired of raising the stakes in this game with China, Taiwan has changed the way it aids its allies. Starting with former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), Taiwan stopped giving fish to its allies and instead started teaching them how to fish. In particular, a lot has been achieved in helping underdeveloped countries develop farming and fishing technologies.
Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cooperated with a publisher to produce a bilingual book entitled Greening the Sahel: The Taiwan Experience in Burkina Faso (
We are not trying to toot our own horn by praising the achievements of Taiwan's agricultural technical teams. Rather, we are reminding the international community that although Taiwan's main diplomatic goal is its international survival space, its other, equally important diplomatic goal, is to contribute to progress in the underdeveloped world.
Taiwan has never forgotten the financial and technical aid provided by the UN and the US when we experienced hardship. In fact, the nation's economic miracle is founded on the generous assistance provided by the international community. Chinese pressure will never make us forget our promises.
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
US President Donald Trump’s challenge to domestic American economic-political priorities, and abroad to the global balance of power, are not a threat to the security of Taiwan. Trump’s success can go far to contain the real threat — the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) surge to hegemony — while offering expanded defensive opportunities for Taiwan. In a stunning affirmation of the CCP policy of “forceful reunification,” an obscene euphemism for the invasion of Taiwan and the destruction of its democracy, on March 13, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) used Chinese social media platforms to show the first-time linkage of three new
Sasha B. Chhabra’s column (“Michelle Yeoh should no longer be welcome,” March 26, page 8) lamented an Instagram post by renowned actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) about her recent visit to “Taipei, China.” It is Chhabra’s opinion that, in response to parroting Beijing’s propaganda about the status of Taiwan, Yeoh should be banned from entering this nation and her films cut off from funding by government-backed agencies, as well as disqualified from competing in the Golden Horse Awards. She and other celebrities, he wrote, must be made to understand “that there are consequences for their actions if they become political pawns of
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