Expounding his “flexible diplomacy” to the nation’s diplomats yesterday, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said such an approach has ensured Taiwan’s place on the side of “righteousness” in foreign affairs and that its “dignity” was not made possible with consent from China.
“I have never discussed a diplomatic truce or flexible diplomacy with the mainland as of yet, but the trend has been heading in that direction. It’s because it is good for everyone,” Ma said as he addressed a meeting in Taipei that gathered 81 heads of the nation’s overseas diplomatic missions and representative offices.
Ma said the implementation of “flexible diplomacy” in the past three years has born fruit in terms of “more consolidated relationships” with the nation’s diplomatic allies and “restoration of mutual trust” between Taiwan and non-allied countries of importance.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Ma said the Latin phrase modus vivendi came to mind when he was trying to find a lasting solution to break through the difficulties the country faces internationally since Taipei’s exit from the UN, as well as to shed the practice of “checkbook diplomacy.”
Under the principle of “flexible diplomacy,” the rules of the competition between Taiwan and China in the international community is not about competing for recognition from diplomatic allies of the other side, but about promoting universal values, Ma said.
Instead of staying stuck in a diplomatic tussle with China, the country would like to compete with China in being a peacemaker, a humanitarian aid provider, a promoter of Taiwanese culture with Chinese characteristics, a creator of new technologies and business opportunities and a standard-bearer of Chinese culture, he said.
The three-day diplomats’ meeting, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was the first of its kind since 1996 when Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) became the country’s first democratically elected president amid Chinese military exercises against Taiwan.
Dismissing the allegation that the meeting was held to boost Ma’s re-election bid, the ministry said the event was scheduled to celebrate the Republic of China’s centenary.
Following Ma’s 40-minute speech, Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), Ma’s running mate in January’s presidential election, also addressed the diplomats for another 40 minutes, touting achievements made by Ma in the past three years.
Wu said Ma has advocated peaceful development in cross-strait relations, established a clean and efficient government, brought the economy back to a steady recovery, created justice and harmony in society and built a sustainable environment in the country.
Meanwhile, at the request of Ma, the ministry has scheduled a trip on Friday for the diplomats to visit areas undergoing reconstruction in southern Taiwan that were hit by Typhoon Morakot two years ago.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添) said the reconstruction of the typhoon-hit areas could lead to a paradigm shift in that the country could provide humanitarian aid should disasters occur in other countries.
“President [Ma] instructed us to bring cameras and Premier [Wu] said we should also bring video cameras. [I] hope everyone gets those ready then,” Yang said.
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