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The nation's aid efforts are not cash giveaways

President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) recent trip to Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Central America has prompted fierce domestic criticism of the nation's foreign aid policies. With China using its growing power to restrict Taiwan's ability to freely participate on the international stage, I would like to point out the differences between China and Taiwan's foreign aid efforts.

China's aid has reached US$10 billion (NT$331 billion) in recent years, and is particularly focused on building infrastructure in Africa. In Sudan, for example, China has built large reservoirs and highways.

But a few months ago, I led a team to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia to do some appraisal work. At the time, I learned that China was helping construct a psychiatric center capable of accommodating 200 patients. Saint Lucia has a population of just 166,000. Does it really have a need for such a large facility?

Moreover, China has grown accustomed to helping African countries build sports stadiums capable of holding 50,000-60,000 people. With widespread poverty in Africa, I wonder who will pay the large bills for those facilities?

The agricultural technical advisors that China dispatches are accustomed to fencing themselves off and ignoring the local government and population. China's foreign aid model is discriminatory and encourages unreasonable practices.

In recent years, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has strongly emphasized aid efficiency. Infrastructure projects tend to involve lots of money and are more susceptible to corruption, so the organization reminds donor countries to act prudently.

In contrast, through the International Cooperation and Development Fund, Taiwan's foreign aid is transparent, more systematized and professional. The fund assists Taiwan's allies to develop economically by engaging in technological cooperation, establishing the host country's own capabilities and providing loans to governments and micro loans to local people. Anyone can go online to see the full content of the fund's projects. Its teams of technical advisors cooperate closely with locals.

For example, although Costa Rica broke off diplomatic ties with Taiwan in June, one of the recipients of Taiwan's technical aid to the orchid industry has become head of the Orchid Association of Costa Rica. Watermelons planted in Africa were species brought from Taiwan, whose technical teams helped to teach locals how to cultivate the crops they need.

In another example, the Solomon Islands used to import rice. With technological assistance from Taiwan, the country is now self-sufficient in rice. Recipients of the fund's scholarships for foreign students use their two or three years studying in Taiwan to research and discuss with professors the problems facing their country.

These are things that the Taiwanese public don't see. For years, "foreign aid" has often been seen as "financial aid." But the definition of foreign aid is not so narrow. It is a multi-functional tool used to reduce the poverty that blocks progress in developing nations, which comprise the majority of Taiwan's allies.

While everyone debates the imbalance in Taiwan's foreign aid, there is still a group of people quietly going about their work, because for them, this is both a mission and source of pride. For years, the Democratic and Republican parties in the US have had a tacit agreement that on foreign relations matters, they put aside partisan differences and work together. I hope that Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties can do the same to support its foreign aid.

Lee Pai-po is assistant secretary-general of the International Cooperation and Development Fund.

Translated by Marc Langer
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