During a briefing for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Taiwan's ambassador to Nicaragua, Antonio Tsai (蔡德三), candidly pointed out in front of the Taiwan delegation and media that Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman has been repeatedly accused of corruption and suppressing the political opposition.
Tsai's candid and public comments shocked the media present, caused Chen to tighten his eyebrows and almost gave Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao
Ambassadors have traditionally been defined as people "who go abroad to lie on behalf of their country." Tsai's statement -- the kind usually uttered behind closed doors -- demonstrated an unusual type of diplomacy.
But bluntness appeared to be the order of the day in Nicaragua -- where the national media labeled Chen's visit "monetary diplomacy," Nicaraguan workers staged protests against what they labeled exploitation by Taiwanese businessmen and Nicaragua's foreign minister reminded the Taiwanese visitors of an unmet promise of US$100 million in aid. Such bluntness appeared to cast a shadow over Chen's visit.
Because of Taiwan's diplomatically isolated position, only 29 countries maintain ties with Taipei. Most of them are in South and Central America, and Africa. Many of our allies are economically weak, some are in a state of civil war. Politically, they are mostly either totalitarian or infant democracies. In these countries, strongmen rule, human rights standards are less than ideal, and corruption is not considered news.
Our diplomatic ties have made for strange bedfellows and put the new government -- with its push for "human rights diplomacy" -- in a very awkward position. Taiwan cannot afford to pick and choose her friends. Therefore, the government must avoid touching on issues relating to human right condition of our allies and offer humanitarian aid through NGOs. There is no way around it.
It is difficult for Taiwan to have any "presentable" friends. Like the "rice-bowl Christians" encountered by missionaries in China, many of Taiwan's friends want something substantial in return for their friendship -- either aid or loans. And, as often is the case in "politically underdeveloped" countries, some of those funds have flowed directly, or indirectly, into the pocket of certain key politicians.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is not blind to this state of affairs. This is why it tries to avoid direct linkages with aid packages, so that diplomatic ties are not severed once power changes hand in an allied government. MOFA now carefully evaluates the plans for aid submitted by these countries an effort to make sure Taiwan's money doesn't go to waste, either by ending up in an individual's pocket or and with the breaking of diplomatic ties if there is a power shift.
Some may criticize the government for getting on its human rights hobby horse while still shaking hands with countries notorious for their human rights violations. But in the harsh reality of international relations, morals and human rights are not the only criteria for friendship. Look at the US' relations with Nicaragua, its cozy relationship with the dictator Samoza and its undeclared war against the Sandanistas.
Tsai has opened a Pandora's box. As Chen's comment on Tsai's briefing put it, the truth "does not make anyone feel better." However, it hasn't been long since Nicaragua left behind a totalitarian regime to start down the road toward democracy. Taiwan has no reason to be harsh about the current condition of Nicaragua or withdraw from the country. Just the opposite. Taiwan is obligated to offer our friend a helping hand in its time of need. Now that Taiwan is firmly standing on her own feet, she must help her friend to do so. Just because so many others have been fair weather friends of Taiwan is no reason for us to act the same way.
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