The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is planning to separate its overseas medical and agricultural missions from the operations of the International Cooperation and Development Foundation (ICDF). Overseas medical projects will be directly handled by the ministry, while agricultural assistance projects will be handled by the Council of Agriculture.
At the foundation's fifth anniversary on July 1, its secretary general, Loh Ping-cheung (羅平章), stressed that it would never violate the government's diplomatic and foreign policies. Conflicts between the foundation and the ministry (which acts as its supervisor), however, have been frequent. The ministry wants to fully coordinate aid work with the government's diplomatic work, to help the implementation and expansion of foreign relations. But many of the government's extremely "political" foreign aid policies have worsened the conflicts between the two.
Taiwan's allies are mostly under-developed countries. Political and economic development in these countries lag far behind the developed world, as they heavily emphasize "rule by man" (as opposed to the rule of law). Naturally, to win over the people in power in those countries seems to be the best way to gain speedy, short-term results. But those familiar with international aid projects hope to truly benefit aid recipient countries and their people by maximizing the results. This is achieved by professionally evaluating and closely supervising these aid projects.
The ministry has its own difficulties, but we should still value the ICDF's more substantial perspective and hope that Taiwan's foreign aid work can continue to be integrated and handled by this more professional and experienced body.
Take Senegal for example. Taiwan and Senegal resumed diplomatic links in January 1996. Last year Senegal underwent its first transition of power in several decades -- when the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) replaced the Socialist Party as the ruling party. Even before its election victory, the PDS, which had amicable relations with Beijing, vowed to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China.
After the PDS took office, many believed that Taiwan-Senegal relations were more or less unsalvageable. Our diplomats, nevertheless, immediately compiled information on Taiwan's aid to Senegal over the past four years and mailed it to all Senegalese leaders. They also tried to visit every Cabinet minister in person to seek support. As a minister later said, the contribution Taiwan has made in the past few years greatly surpassed the contribution from some major countries over the past few decades. As a result, bilateral relations have gradually stabilized.
Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade visited Taiwan earlier this month and signed a joint communique with President Chen Shui-bian (
This example clearly shows the importance of more substantial and practical foreign aid work. Diplomatic ties without deep groundwork cannot stand the test of time. We should insist on promoting regular and substantial foreign aid work to those countries unsure about their position toward Taiwan, in order to attract them little by little.
The foreign ministry must acquire a broader vision. It should trust the ICDF's substantial and practical foreign aid work. It should also provide the foundation with necessary resources in order to promote our foreign aid work. Otherwise, Taiwan may still suffer from a diplomatic downturn after spending big money overseas. Our "dollar diplomacy" may even become "spendthrift diplomacy."
Tu Jenn-hwa is an associate professor at the Graduate Institute of National Development, National Taiwan University.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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