Tired from the long journey, President Chen Shui-bian (
In the mid-1990s, Taiwanese diplomacy was often said to be a "money diplomacy." Ethically speaking, this was in the end a one-sided diplomacy unacceptable to most Taiwanese. In his acceptance speech President Chen declared that "humanitarian diplomacy" would be one of the main foreign diplomacy directions for the new government. This means that government and civil society would join forces to bring Taiwan's development experience to the world.
To achieve this goal, Taiwan should provide assistance to less developed countries by targeting the problems they need most to overcome, but where they lack the experience to do so by themselves. Looking at less fortunate countries, the two main problems are still disease and food shortages.
Taiwan has sent agricultural technology teams to each of its African diplomatic allies. Recently, the scope of these teams has been expanded, and they are now called technology teams. They cooperate with domestic universities and are devoted to innovation in agricultural production. In the last few years, the achievements of these technology teams have given us reason to look at them in a new light. In southern Africa, a region suffering from serious food shortages as a result of widespread drought, food production is not a problem in the areas serviced by these teams. Apart from this, the teams are expanding commercial crops as well as fish and meat production in each of these countries. Though small-scale, there have been astonishing achievements, and as a result the members of these technology teams are highly respected by the local population.
Diseases such as malaria, AIDS, meningitis and yellow fever exist throughout Africa, creating economic problems such as serious declines in productivity and an unattractive environment for tourists. Taiwan is medically advanced, and not only do we help our diplomatic allies fight malaria and provide education about the prevention of AIDS, but we have also established medical teams, medical centers and hospitals. Many young Taiwanese Albert Schweitzers will travel to distant Africa and fight disease together rather than take a well-paid job in Taiwan.
Some Taiwanese men doing their alternative military service in the diplomatic corps and some voluntary diplomatic workers have also chosen to serve with the medical or technology teams in Africa. By choosing to serve in the most distant and most difficult areas, these young Taiwanese elite enrich both humanity and their own lives. When the delegation members met these volunteers and alternative servicemen, we patted them on the shoulder and said "thanks for the hard work," but we were in fact filled with immeasurable admiration of these great heroes. The applause they receive is warmer and longer than any we can ever hope to receive sitting here in beautiful Taiwan.
The agricultural technology, medical, educational and infrastructure construction aid projects, including salaries, need funding, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is trying to meet through various cooperation projects. Under Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新), the ministry is closely evaluating requirements for each project, and it is certainly not careless in its approval of budget allocations. Thanks to this, foreign aid is spent where it counts, and Taiwan teaches aid recipients how to fish themselves, instead of simply giving them fish.
During the visit, it was evident that China continues to apply pressure to undermine our activities. However, some of the countries that have chosen to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor of China have verified that they have lost out, since it was difficult to realize the beautiful promises made by the Chinese government once diplomatic relations had been established. China's agricultural technology teams, established in imitation of Taiwan's, consist of aloof old men sitting in air conditioned rooms receiving high salaries.
The fact that MOFA did not give in to unreasonable blackmail when the president of Nauru decided he wanted to establish diplomatic relations with China should be a matter of joy for the people of Taiwan, since it means that Taiwan has finally broken one of its bad habits. Taiwanese diplomacy, based on compassion and the prevention of disease and hunger, has come into its own during Chen's trip to Africa. This diplomacy has also forced China, which currently has 150 million unemployed or underemployed workers, to spend US$137 million to buy relations with a nation of just over 10,000 citizens.
The food shortage in parts of southern Africa is gradually receiving international attention, but even though the G8 and the UN give the matter a lot of attention, aid actually received from the international community is very limited. In Malawi and Swaziland, Chen declared that Taiwan would give humanitarian food aid, and in the manner of a world-class leader he called for the international community to lend a helping hand. This loud call has opened a new vista for Taiwanese diplomacy.
Joseph Wu is deputy secretary-general to the president.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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