Lawmakers across party lines yesterday questioned the proposed establishment of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy envisioned in the foreign ministry's 2003 budgetary bill.
"One should avoid turning the foundation into a political tool for Taiwan independence, an agency for political remuneration or an illegal financial coffer," KMT Legislator Chiang Yi-wen (江綺雯) said of the proposed foundation.
Chiang said she's afraid the foundation may end up funneling support for certain political parties within Taiwan while excluding others.
Chiang was the first to challenge Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Kau's (高英茂) report on the new foundation at the Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee in the legislature.
Kau said the foundation, once established, would aim at promoting and sustaining democracy both domestically and internationally.
One third of the foundation's funds would be channeled to subsidize political parties in Taiwan, while the rest would focus on networking and cooperation with like-minded foundations outside of Taiwan, Kau said.
But DPP Legislator Chen Chi-mai (
"Since the foreign ministry will play a key role leading the foundation, it would be much more appropriate for the unit to focus on party diplomacy and parliamentarian diplomacy," Chen said.
Kau came to the government's defense, saying the ministry would ensure the operations of the foundation would be free from political intervention by political parties or individuals.
"The board members of the foundation will be composed of representatives from all major political parties. So it's impossible that the foundation will become a tool for Taiwan independence," Kau said.
Kau also denied allegations that pro-independence Senior Presidential Adviser Peng Ming-min (
When asked how the foundation would help trigger democratization in China, Kau gave a cautious answer.
"Given the sensitive relations between Taiwan and China, we should try to influence China in such a way that our move will not be interpreted as an attempt to interfere with China's internal politics," Kau said.
Kau suggested that the foundation work with its counterparts in other countries to exert what he termed the "collective influence" on China.
Kau also said it was "pragmatic" for the ministry to include the word "Taiwan" in the foundation's name instead of the country's formal designation -- the Republic of China (ROC) -- since the ROC title causes confusion in the international community.
Kau said the foundation would operate under the rule of transparency and should present an annual report to the legislature in the future.
In the foreign ministry's budgetary bill for the next fiscal year, NT$150 million has been allocated for the preparatory work leading up to the establishment of the foundation, slated to take place by June of next year.
According to the proposal, 40 percent of the seed capital of the foundation will come from the government, while the rest will come from the private sector, thus defining the nature of the foundation as a private corporation.
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