Developed Economy: Belated Honor, or New Sorrow?

Developed Economy: Belated Honor, or New Sorrow?
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
June 19, 2009

Morgan Stanley & Co. (MSCI) has added the Taiwan region of the Republic of China to its "Developed" Markets Watch List. For many people this is a pleasant surprise. After so many years as a "Developing" economy, Taiwan has finally been upgraded.

But amidst the joy lurk unsettling suspicions. Is it really true? According to what criteria can Taiwan be classified as a "Developed Economy?"

Actually Morgan Stanley included Taiwan on its Watch List of Developed Economies based primarily on such indicators as economic development and the size and opennesss of its stock market trading system. Its definition of "Developed Economy" is obviously much narrower than the average person's understanding. Therefore one should not get too excited. The sad fact is that among the four Asian Tigers, Taiwan was the last to pass the bar. This belated honor is a hidden warning.

Has Taiwan really entered the world of "Developed" economies? Let's review its long process of transformation into one of the "Four Asian Tigers." This may provide us with clues about the larger strategic picture.

Actually Taiwan was not that powerful during the era of the "Four Asian Tigers." But it was unfraid to fight for mastery in the international arena. At the time, the Taiwan region's foreign exchange reserves ranked first in the world. Its volume of trade had reached new highs. Per capita income had rapidly increased. Its nimble small and medium industries engaged in fierce battle with world-renowned multinational companies. But all of a sudden Taiwan shifted its energies into the political arena. Its ruling authorities busied themselves amending the constitution, sponsoring referendums, and holding debates on national identity. Legislators busied themselves with fisticuffs and mudslinging in the national legislature. Officials busied themselves making pronouncements. The public busied itself distinguishing between who did and did not "Love Taiwan!" Amidst this daily war of words, the Asian Tiger known as Taiwan forgot that its rivals were not standing still.

Per capita income on Taiwan has not increased in almost a decade. While we stumbled around in the fog, South Korea swiftly surpassed us, Other newly developing states swiftly closed on us from behind. This decade could be called Taiwan's "Lost Decade." During this ten-year period, we busied ourselves slinging mud. We ignored other countries' development. We ignored our own domestic downturn. We even forgot what goals we were pursuing. Today we have been belatedly honored with a "Developed" label. As many people recall the farce that Taiwan has been through over the past decade, they can only shake their heads in despair.

If we look at the term "Developed" from a purely factual perspective, the International Monetary Fund classifed Taiwan as a "Developed" economy years ago. The Republic of China was already one of the world's fourteenth largest trading nations years ago. The IMF had no reason not to recognize it as a "Developed Nation." But over the past decade, its exports ranking has fallen from 18th place to 28th place. Such a massive decline reveals a contraction in our economic strength. it also reflects a loss of public pride. The Ma administration has renewed its push for a Special Trade and Economic Region. This is a plan that Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian talked about but refused to implement for over ten years. Is this not sad?

Yesterday the Kaohsiung District Prosecutor's Office uncovered government/business collusion involving the Kaohsiung Port Authority. In the name of upgrading Kaohsiung Harbor's ranking, the Kaohsiung Port Authority colluded with shipping companies to falsify shipping container trading volume. Together they fraudulently applied for and received performance bonuses in excess of 300 million NT, over a two year period. Over the past decade, Kaohsiung's global ranking in shipping volume fell from third to thirteenth. This was embarrassing enough. Who knew that instead of engaging in soul-searching, instead of shaping up, officials would instead engage in even more brazen deception? They falsified the numbers, and defrauded the state treasury. They revealed a total inability to rule the nation, but considerable ability to loot the nation's coffers. The scandal was a microsm of Taiwan's Lost Decade. Those who shout "We love Taiwan!" the loudest, inflicted the most grievous injuries. Those who shout "We are rescuing the economy!" inflicted the most grievous damage.

One could say that the advent of "Taiwan the Political Entity" has brought disaster down upon "Taiwan the Economic Entity." After years of adolescence, this Asian Tiger has belatedly been classified as "Developed." But the public is no longer able to experience any joy in this honor. Meanwhile, after years of internal friction, confrontation, and suffering, has Taiwan the Political Entity matured, even slightly? In terms of national identity, the public is as divided as ever. In terms of democracy, partisan power struggles are as vicious as ever. In terms of community development, relief from cynicism and Blue/Green polarization remains as remote as ever.

Can a nation for which the question "Who am I?" divides the public, possibly merit the title "Developed" nation? Can such a nation ensure diversity, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness? If it can, then by all means, let us cling to it and hope for the best.

已開發：台灣遲到的榮耀或新來的感傷？
【聯合報╱社論】
2009.06.19 04:07 am

摩根史丹利公司（ＭＳＣＩ）將台灣列入「已開發」市場觀察名單，引起許多人一陣驚喜：當了那麼多年「開發中」國家，台灣終於也要升格了！

然而，喜悅之中也夾雜著不少懷疑：是真的嗎？從什麼標準看，台灣合乎一個「已開發國家」的水準？

事實上，摩根史丹利把台灣列為已開發觀察名單，主要是根據經濟發展、股市交易規模與制度開放性等指標而定，較一般人對「已開發國家」的認知顯然狹義得多。故而，對此過度興奮，似亦不必。與此同時，令人感傷的則是，同屬亞洲四小龍，台灣卻最後方得入列，遲到的榮耀其實也蘊含著許多警惕。

且不論台灣是不是將一腳邁入「已開發」之林，回顧這段漫長的「小龍」蛻變歷程，也許提供了我們一些大棋局的歷史反省線索。

在「四小龍」並駕的年代，台灣其實沒有太多不可一世的口氣，卻也不畏怯在國際間角逐爭鋒。當時，台灣外匯存底是世界第一，貿易量頻創新高，國民所得蒸蒸日上，以中小企業的靈活身段鏖戰全球知名跨國企業。但不知從何時起，台灣突然把全副精力都轉投向政治，主政者忙於修憲、公投和國家認同的辯證，立委忙著打架、飆口水，政府官員忙著表態，人民則忙著區分愛不愛台灣。在每日交射不休的政治口水戰中，台灣這條小龍幾乎忘了「前有勁敵、後有追兵」的處境。

今天台灣的平均國民所得，幾乎還停滯在十年前的水準；在我們閉著眼睛走路的時候，南韓快速超越了台灣，更多新興開發國急起直追。如果把這十年稱為台灣「失落的十年」，這十年間，我們忙著在家中內鬥潑糞，不在乎其他國家的發展，也不在乎國內經濟走下坡，甚至忘了自己在追求什麼目標。今天，這個遲到的「已開發」之名，讓許多人回想起台灣過去多年的荒唐歲月，恐怕不無「黃粱一夢」的蒼涼心情。

若要平實看待「已開發」一詞的話，國際貨幣基金幾年前已將台灣列為「已開發」經濟體；原因是，台灣早是全球第十四大貿易國，沒有理由不承認它是開發國。可是，過去十年，台灣的商品出口排名已由全球十四降為十八，服務輸出則由十八降為廿八名。如此大幅的衰退，除顯示台灣實力的萎縮，也掩映著人民驕傲的流失。馬政府最近重新推動經貿營運特區，這卻仍是李扁兩屆政府提出卻「說而不做」的計畫，十多年的老調重彈，豈不讓人唏噓？

再看，高雄地檢署日昨偵破高雄港務局的官商勾結弊案，港務局為虛偽提升高雄港排名，竟與航商勾結虛報貨櫃營運量，共同詐領績效獎金，兩年多來騙取了三億多元公帑。最令人扼腕的是，高雄港的運量排名十年來由全球第三退居第十二，已讓人掩目；孰料，官員不思反省振作，卻更大膽玩這種自欺欺人、唱籌量沙的把戲，訛詐國庫。這個案件，不僅是「治國無方，竊國有術」的具體縮影，也集中反映了台灣十年失落的可悲：愛台灣唱得越多，傷台灣卻越重；拚經濟喊得越響，經濟卻被害得最慘。

可以說，我們一頭栽進「政治的台灣」，卻帶給「經濟的台灣」莫大的災難。也因此，這條過了青春期多少年的小龍，遲至今天才有資格坐上「已開發」成年禮的觀察席，卻已經讓人失去喜悅的心情。反過來看，台灣的政治歷經這麼多年的內耗、交鋒和煎熬，又何嘗成熟了幾分？在國家認同上，民間其實是更為分歧；就民主歷練而言，政黨的競爭文化其實是更趨於惡鬥，而未更臻成熟；就社會的發展看，藍綠兩極化的憤世嫉俗情緒不知何時才能產生正向的交集。

一個連「我是誰」都莫衷一是的國家，能因冠上「已開發」之名而變得更多元、自由、令人愉悅嗎？如果可以，就讓我們抱以期待吧！