The furor over the American Chamber of Commerce's White Paper gives rise to three intriguing questions. First, why is such a fuss being made about this document, even though it contains nothing by way of damning factual analysis that isn't common knowledge to anyone on the island who is remotely concerned with economic, political or business issues? Second, is there anywhere else in the world where the publication of an annual report by a foreign chamber of commerce is regarded quite with such regard for national pride and development?
In answer to the second question, we think almost certainly not. Taiwan takes AmCham criticism of its financial sector reforms with the gravity in which its Central American allies treat defeat of their national soccer teams. Of course, there is also local concern that too vociferous a protest by AmCham might attract the interest of an institution that is far more feared here than the Chinese People's Liberation Army, namely the US Trade Representative.
Concerning the first question, apparently the White Paper doesn't understand Taiwan, at least according to the finance ministry, and this newspaper has rubbed salt in the wound. We are shocked, shocked, to be so cited. All we did was to point out that previous White Papers had criticized the central government for inefficiency, local governments for corruption, the legislature for being a bunch of self-serving opportunists with shady connections, and the ministries of the Executive Yuan as being hopelessly mired in conflicting rules and regulations while fighting turf wars which vitiated any attempt at reform of the system. And we added that this one was likely to say much the same -- which it does.
"Off with their heads" shout various officials to anyone having the temerity to say that the "no haste, be patient" policy is detrimental to the APROC plan, which itself is nonsensical without direct links to China. Yet this is something that almost every top Taiwan businessman has also said. Or saying that there was such confusion between the powers and responsibilities of central and local government that the central government might not be able to make good on its promises -- as Bayer found out to its cost. Or saying that the legislature should focus on the needs of Taiwan rather than the personal agendas of its members or the special interests of their local constituents. We could go on, and on, and on, if we had the space.
AmCham's feelings about its annual controversy are a little different from ours. AmCham says it wants a good and productive relationship with the government. We say, don't sweat it. If the government is worried that AmCham's pointing out that Taiwan's new "globization" clothes are rather scantier than is commonly imagined, then don't worry, think of Italy. This is a country with barely any government at all, massive corruption, which gave the world a collective noun for organized crime groups, with perpetual budget deficits, Byzantine bureaucracy -- and yet in terms of wealth it is actually better off than squeaky clean, public-minded Britain. So sure, Taiwan has its drawbacks and we all know what they are. But that hasn't stopped the island from flourishing, its people from prospering, nor the flowering of a pluralist political and social system.
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