Lawmakers across party lines yesterday called for a new diplomatic strategy to curb a “domino effect” after the Dominican Republic shifted diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not alert to signs of the impending switch, such as the Caribbean nation ignoring Taipei’s request that it advocate for Taiwan’s attendance at the World Health Assembly next month as an observer, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus secretary-general Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) said at a news conference in Taipei
The incident was particularly ironic considering that Taiwan this year gave the Dominican Republic 50 high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles, or Humvees, with a two-year warranty that reportedly cost NT$70 million (US$2.36 million), Lee said.
Photo: Tyrone Siu, Reuters
The Dominican Republic switching diplomatic recognition followed Panama’s cutting of official ties with Taiwan in June last year, indicating that Beijing’s move to poach Taiwan’s diplomatic allies has created a domino effect, she said.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration should devise new strategies to keep up with the diplomatic challenges facing the nation instead of telling the public that it “has since received intelligence” after the nation loses a diplomatic ally, Lee said.
KMT caucus deputy secretary-general William Tseng (曾銘宗) ascribed the incident to deteriorating cross-strait relations after the DPP became the ruling party and Premier William Lai’s (賴清德) assertion that he is a “political worker who advocates Taiwanese independence.”
Tseng urged Beijing to refrain from intervening in Taiwan’s diplomatic affairs, saying it would not benefit cross-strait exchanges and would only put a distance between peoples on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
When former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was in office, the DPP criticized Ma’s “diplomatic truce” with China as diplomatic inactivity without realizing that Taiwan’s diplomatic space hinges on a “stable and cordial” relations with China, KMT Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) said.
DPP caucus secretary-general Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) expressed “regret and anger” upon learning the news, saying it is time for the government to adjust its foreign policy to allow President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and her team to focus their efforts on maximizing Taiwan’s interests in the international arena.
DPP Legislator Wang Ding-yu (王定宇) questioned whether it is in the nation’s interests to define its diplomatic success by the number of allies it has, adding that he hoped Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) would propose new policies.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) also weighed in on the issue, saying: “China’s suppression of Taiwan is to be expected, so it is important that Taiwan’s economy and national defense be strong.”
Citing a passage from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War (孫子兵法) — “Rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive them” — Ko said that the nation cannot forever rely on the goodwill of others.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education said it is willing to help Dominican students who want to continue their studies in Taiwan.
Yang Shu-ya (楊淑雅), director-general of the ministry’s Department of International and Cross-Strait Education, said there are 91 Dominican students in Taiwan, including 21 in the Taiwan Scholarship Program.
Under the program, students from countries that are Taiwan’s diplomatic allies receive funding through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will decide whether to withdraw the scholarships to the 21 Dominican students, Yang said.
For non-allied countries, the education ministry handles aid to their students and is willing to talk to the concerned universities on behalf of those Dominican students who are receiving financial aid directly from their schools, he said.
Additional reporting by Lee I-chia, Peng Wan-hsin and CNA
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man