China has spared no effort in its attempt to narrow Taiwan's space for diplomacy and survival, to the extent that as soon as President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) plan to visit Southeast Asia was exposed, various countries, including Indonesia, were intimidated by China.
I have some personal feelings to share from my experience of attending the Asian Civil Society Forum (ACSF) for non-governmental organizations held in Bangkok between Dec. 9 and Dec. 13. China's representatives forcefully interrupted the speech of a Taiwan delegate on hearing Taiwan described as "a nation," arousing strong protests from Taiwanese delegates.
The ACSF was held by the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO). More than 500 representatives from 33 nations gathered in the UN Economic and Social Council in Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) for discussion. A total of 12 representatives from nine Taiwanese organizations attended the conference, including the Garden of Hope Foundation, which I represented.
All 12 of us endeavored to use this international gathering to establish ties with other representatives from around the world. Some of my thoughts on NGOs follow.
First, Taiwan should vigorously participate in international NGO conferences. NGOs, or "the third sector," have become a tremendous civil force. Described by some as an awakening giant, the NGO community can provide a helping hand to government and unite grassroots power in the international community to shape a "civil society." These organizations deserve our active participation.
Second, as one of the UN's five branches, UNESCAP plays a decisive role, making Bangkok a key venue for important international conferences. This makes it necessary for Taiwan to increase government exchanges and contacts with Thailand. In a visit with Taipei's Representative to Thailand Huang Hsien-jung (
Third, we should attach more importance to issues regarding a civil society. The Bangkok conference touched upon environmental protection, human rights, the empowerment of women, indigenous peoples and children and global sustainable development. Taiwan should make a great effort to promote these causes.
Fourth, the many and varied agencies of the UN provide plenty of opportunities for Taiwan's NGOs to play a part. The world body's Non-Governmental Liaison Service integrates 18 formal organizations and eight agencies, such as the WHO, the International Labour Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as four environmental protection treaties. The government should recruit and train talent in relevant fields, or encourage those with a good command of English to join these NGOs in a bid to enhance Taiwan's international visibility. Taiwan would do well to emulate the role of South Korea in the CONGO conference, for which it provides a secretary-general and serves as a conference host.
Finally, we appreciate the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' assistance in providing information to enable the nine NGOs to be able to interact with each other. We raised Taiwan's international profile and its achievements in international aid, although the results of our efforts were partly diminished by China's interference. Despite the imperfections, our experience may be instructive for the government and future representatives attending similar conferences.
Wang Ming-jen is a deputy chief executive officer at the Garden of Hope Foundation.
Translated by Jackie Lin
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