President Chen Shui-bian's (
That direction is focused on Taiwan's entry into regional groupings and international organizations; and its fight against financial blackmail from Taiwan's diplomatic allies, sources said.
Chen returned to Taiwan yesterday morning, ending a 16-day, 25,200km journey -- his second overseas diplomatic tour since coming to power.
During the trip, Chen and his 200-member delegation visited El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay and Honduras, making a two-night stopover in New York in the beginning and a one-night stopover in Houston on their way home.
Taiwan dollar falls
While he was away the Taiwan dollar dipped as low as NT$34.5 against the greenback and the stock market fell below 5,000 points. Taiwan's economic growth rate for the first quarter fell to its lowest point in 25 years, 1.06 percent.
Chen told accompanying reporters that his trip had been much more tiring for him than his first tour last August but he insisted that it had also yielded more results. The highlight of the trip was Chen's stopover in New York, where he met with 21 House representatives, visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Stock Exchange.
He also met with New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and enjoyed a level of public and official attention unheard of since the US broke off diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
"The reception Chen received can be described as `presidential' this time. Most importantly, the fine reception during his stopovers can be taken as a basis for the future trips of Taiwan's presidents and high-level government officials as well," said a high-ranking official from the National Security Council (國安會), who accompanied Chen.
The success was in part a result of the DPP government's cautious approach to foreign affairs.
"Chen's comments on every diplomatic event were thoroughly planned. For example, he did not complain about the humiliating reception he received when visiting Los Angeles last year.
"But neither did he outwardly express his joy for US approval of major arms sales at this year's Taiwan-US arms talks. After US President George W. Bush publicly promised to defend Taiwan if China were to invade, Chen simply expressed his appreciation to the US in order not to offend Beijing," the official said.
The Bush administration's stance toward China has also helped, the official said.
But such success was no reason to be overjoyed. "A breakthrough on the stopover does not guarantee that Taiwan-US relations will be stable forever," the official said.
"But on this basis -- that Taiwan officials can ask for stopovers in foreign countries without diplomatic ties with Taiwan by following the `New York model' -- marks a new phase in our diplomatic work."
Chen also unveiled a new direction for Taiwan's foreign policies by focusing on regional organizations such as the System for Integration in Central America (SICA) and the Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Southern Cone Common Market, MERCOSUR).
The DPP government must come out of the shadow of the "dollar diplomacy" practiced by the former KMT government, said one young aide to the president.
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