Taiwan is one of many countries striving to maximize its opportunities for national development in a highly competitive international environment. National development is an all-encompassing idea and relates to politics, economics, society and culture.
These separate fields are intimately related, and they will affect the future increase in the strength of the country.
Therefore, how we balance our ideals with reality, and how we build upon our national foundation, raising our potential from a development blueprint to the realization of our aims, is extremely important.
National development is heavily influenced by both internal and external factors, including time and space.
Taiwan must look to the time and the situation, taking stock of international trends in development and changes in the international environment, following the flow of these movements and connecting with them, if it is to take up a position in the international community. Linking up with the international community doesn't just mean increasing communication between Taiwan and the global village, but also changing the structure of government.
A modern government is an enterprise-like government. In order to achieve this aim, we need to increase the efficiency of government, institute mechanisms for policy transparency and fair competition and achieve the high levels of efficiency and quality expected of corporate management. It means having a finger on the pulse of international competition and being able to make an effective response.
With the trends of economic globalization and political democratization, the importance of the nation-state is diminishing, with responsibilities taken on by nongovernmental bodies representing the public interest daily becoming more important. Now that these non-government bodies have become the mainstream in civil society, regardless of whether they operate independently or in cooperation with the government, they can effectively address inadequacies in government organizations, and can also build a model of cooperation between the government and the private sector. This kind of partnership, established through cooperation and consultation, with the addition of government recognition and an underlining of common aims, is the new ideology for resolving internal conflicts and promoting an equitable balance of interests.
Improving administrative efficiency and the construction of a civil society are the basic principles of future national development. The core of international competition in the new century is no longer a challenge of physical strength; it has become a battle of governmental systems and ways of thought. In the past, the government took the lead in developing policy, but it was unable to provide more space for national development.
In other words, in facing new challenges, Taiwan must break down old ideas of government-led development and must utilize the vitality of its private sector, building a new structure of government and private sector cooperation.
That's how it can establish its own identity and motivation in the fiercely competitive international environment.
Chen Lung-chu is the chairman of the Taiwan New Century Foundation.
Translated by Ian Bartholomew
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