Upon taking office last May, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) set two priorities in foreign policy: improve relations with China, Taiwan’s main threat, and repair the damage to Taiwan’s standing with the US, its primary foreign protector.
For the last 10 months, Ma has sought to ease tensions with China with small moves such as arranging for more passenger flights from Taipei to China and inviting more Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan. In recent days, Ma has turned to concentrate on rebuilding trust from the US, especially from US President Barack Obama and his administration.
Ma addressed an influential audience in Washington through a videoconference call last Wednesday in which he promised “surprise-free and low-key” dealings with the US and an effort to be a “responsible peacemaker” in the international arena. He said “pragmatism” would be the mark of his foreign policy.
In contrast, Ma’s predecessor, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), antagonized Chinese leaders with his relentless pursuit of independence for Taiwan. Chen antagonized US leaders, including former US president George W. Bush, who was basically pro-Taiwan, by failing to consult with Washington and by taking what Bush officials considered to be reckless positions toward China.
Even as Ma spoke, the Chinese reminded the people of Taiwan, and indeed the world, that they were continuing to acquire the military power to deter Taiwanese independence and possibly to conquer the island. The People’s Liberation Army marked the 60th anniversary of its navy with a review at sea that included warships from 14 other navies, including the US.
The US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead led the US delegation to Beijing and the port of Qingdao. The admiral, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conferred with political and military leaders as he sought to have Sino-US military exchanges revived. China broke them off in October after the US announced it would sell US$6.5 billion in arms to Taiwan.
Those exchanges are intended to dissuade Chinese leaders from miscalculating US capabilities and intentions. The US seeks to discern the reasons behind China’s military buildup, including its plans to acquire a blue-water navy as opposed to its present largely coastal navy.
The government of Taiwan has organized its current efforts to influence the US around the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which was enacted in Congress after former US president Jimmy Carter switched US diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. The TRA governs US unofficial dealings with Taiwan, including arms sales.
To reinforce the TRA, Taiwan’s representatives in the US have sponsored a dozen panel discussions across the country in which scholars, specialists and diplomats have discussed the TRA and relations between the US and Taiwan. Journalists have been invited to Taiwan to interview leaders and to witness political and economic developments.
Ma’s address last Wednesday to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the prominent think tank in Washington, was a featured event in this effort. He emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to its own defense, which had been questioned by some in the US.
“I want to reassure America that Taiwan will not free-ride on the United States for its own security,” he said. “I urge the United States not to hesitate to provide Taiwan with the necessary defensive arms as stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act.”
In addition, he said Taiwan would like to get a waiver on visas so that more Taiwanese tourists could visit the US, as well as negotiate a free trade agreement that would expand commerce.
Richard Halloran is a freelance writer based in Hawaii.
There is a modern roadway stretching from central Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa, to the partially recognized state’s Egal International Airport. Emblazoned on a gold plaque marking the road’s inauguration in July last year, just below the flags of Somaliland and the Republic of China (ROC), is the road’s official name: “Taiwan Avenue.” The first phase of construction of the upgraded road, with new sidewalks and a modern drainage system to reduce flooding, was 70 percent funded by Taipei, which contributed US$1.85 million. That is a relatively modest sum for the effect on international perception, and
At the end of last year, a diplomatic development with consequences reaching well beyond the regional level emerged. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state, paving the way for political, economic and strategic cooperation with the African nation. The diplomatic breakthrough yields, above all, substantial and tangible benefits for the two countries, enhancing Somaliland’s international posture, with a state prepared to champion its bid for broader legitimacy. With Israel’s support, Somaliland might also benefit from the expertise of Israeli companies in fields such as mineral exploration and water management, as underscored by Israeli Minister of
When former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) first took office in 2016, she set ambitious goals for remaking the energy mix in Taiwan. At the core of this effort was a significant expansion of the percentage of renewable energy generated to keep pace with growing domestic and global demands to reduce emissions. This effort met with broad bipartisan support as all three major parties placed expanding renewable energy at the center of their energy platforms. However, over the past several years partisanship has become a major headwind in realizing a set of energy goals that all three parties profess to want. Tsai
Chile has elected a new government that has the opportunity to take a fresh look at some key aspects of foreign economic policy, mainly a greater focus on Asia, including Taiwan. Still, in the great scheme of things, Chile is a small nation in Latin America, compared with giants such as Brazil and Mexico, or other major markets such as Colombia and Argentina. So why should Taiwan pay much attention to the new administration? Because the victory of Chilean president-elect Jose Antonio Kast, a right-of-center politician, can be seen as confirming that the continent is undergoing one of its periodic political shifts,
RSS