Print

Mail

wiki links

Chen wants new diplomatic policy

During a tea meeting with reporters during his visit to the Dominican Republic, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said on Friday local time that the "Jung Pang Project" (榮邦計劃), a government program aimed at encouraging Taiwanese investment in 12 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, is a new diplomatic strategy attempting to improve on the mistaken dollar diplomacy of the past.

Chen said that the program was meant to strengthen assistance to diplomatic allies, above all in Central America and the Caribbean, but that it was not a matter of continuing past dollar diplomacy practices.

In response to those who claim it is, Chen said that they do not believe Taiwan is an independent and sovereign state.

He went on to say that fear of the Chinese Communist Party or illusions regarding China mean that these people want neither diplomatic relations nor military equipment.

However, while saying that these opinions were tragic, he also said that they are open for discussion.

Chen also said that he has no intention of continuing the dollar diplomacy of the past Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government, but that past KMT foreign ministers such as John Chang (章孝嚴) or Jason Hu (胡志強) surely knew the meaning of the term "dollar diplomacy."

He went on to say that it is something the government intends to eliminate, in line with the wishes of the people.

Without diplomatic relations, Chen said, there would be no one to speak up for Taiwan in the UN, the World Health Organization or many other international forums.

Therefore, he said, paraphrasing an old saying -- "caring for our children means not resenting Taiwan" -- that caring for Taiwan means not resenting friends in the international community.

Translated by Perry Svensson
This story has been viewed 2108 times.