The year 2001 is a crucial year for a major realignment of global military, political and economic strategies. After 10 years of conflicts, and after all the groping and experimentation with new international relations in the post-Cold War era, everyone has high hopes to the 21st century -- a new era for the realignment of power and the formation of new alliances.
US President George W. Bush recently made a trip to Europe. While Bush may have won some vain and superficial glory from the trip, he had lost out in other regards. Bush's less-than-successful trip marked a new beginning for European autonomy. The euro will officially hit the road at the beginning of next year.
The European Defense Force will be officially organized by 2003. Thus, European autonomy and unity seem to be inevitable, although the integration of Europe continues to face many difficulties as thee EU is currently undergoing a chaotic stage before the euro becomes the only currency. With the EU's expansion, it will eventually become the world's largest political grouping.
Europe is also currently speeding up the development of its interests in Asia. The fact that European investments in China and South Korea have long exceeded those of Japan and the US serves as proof.
In Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO,
The ultimate goal of the SCO is to build oil pipelines directly from Siberia to North and South Korea, China and Southeast Asia, as well as to extend the trans-Siberian railway all the way to the Korea Peninsula.
Meanwhile, promotion of the "East Asia free trade zone," proposed a few weeks ago, is also expected to be accelerated.
In the US, four months after coming to power, many of the Bush administration's policies have led to concerns among its European allies, further pushing Europe toward Asia and leading to the establishment of the SCO. Though this has frustrated the US, its position as the leader of the Americas is still secure.
Although the US' strategy of containing China has become more and more difficult to implement, its influence in Asia cannot be replaced yet. The only problem is: while the US has raised competition in global strategic realignments, it has also caused Japan to hesitate about its future direction.
While almost every nation is aggressively focusing on foreign affairs and diplomatic ties, Taiwan, uniquely, is focusing on domestic affairs -- as politicians are still playing the political game of "local vs. non-local."
Today's Taiwan, therefore, is totally incomprehensible. Taiwan's political arena may be unaware of changes happening abroad. Whether or not so-called "localization" will be a success is uncertain. Even if the goal of "localization" is achieved, Taiwan itself may suffer significantly in the process -- not to mention that it may lose pace with the world by wasting time.
The world is rapidly changing. The trend of globalization has made competition tough.
Can those politicians who single-mindedly strive for money and political power understand this?
When Taiwan looks inward and forgets the rest of the world, we must understand that the world will never stop and wait for us.
Nan Fang Shuo is publisher of The Journalist magazine.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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