Visa-Free Travel in Europe: Fruit of Ma's Pragmatic Diplomacy

Visa-Free Travel in Europe: Fruit of Ma's Pragmatic Diplomacy
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
October 5, 2010

The United Kingdom and Ireland have granted Republic of China citizens visa-free treatment. The European Union is also expected to offer visa-free treatment for tourists holding ROC passports by the end of this year. This will facilitate exchanges and cooperation between the ROC and Europe. It is also an affirmation of the ROC.

Someone with visa-free status who wishes to see the sights or visit relatives in a foreign country, can simply buy a ticket and board a plane. Travel for him is extremely convenient. This is not the case for ROC citizens on Taiwan. They must apply for visas and prepare a whole slew of notarized documents. If they travel with children and family, they must often prove that they have a parent-child relationship. They must expend time, money, and energy.

Some countries have instituted a comprehensive visa-free policies to attract foreign tourism. But most of these countries' visa policies are selective. Different countries have different policies. They make their visa decisions based on a wide range of criteria. These criteria include bilateral relations, national security, national character, whether it will open the floodgates to illegal workers, crime rates, and passport security technology.

In recent years, ROC citizens going abroad have been the recipients of good news. Countries which once refused to grant preferential treatment due to political concerns are changing their policies. The first to do so was Japan, in August 2005. This change was of particular significance. The Japanese Diet passed a special bill granting ROC citizens permanent visa-free treatment. This was the sixth time Japan granted visa-free treatment to another country.

In order to attract tourists for the Aichi Expo, Japan made special provisions, granting tourists from Taiwan six-month visa-free status. When the effective period ended, Japan evaluated the economic benefits of millions of tourists from Taiwan each year, and extended the visa-free period, increasing the privileges granted and decreasing the cost of application. Japan decided to grant ROC tourists visa-free treatment. The decision triggered opposition from Mainland China, leading to repeated delays. But in the end, pragmatic economic considerations trumped political considerations. The Japanese Diet passed a special act granting ROC tourists visa-free treatment. And in contrast to Japan's past practices, it did not simultaneously grant visa-free status to Mainland tourists in compensation. This has allowed the number of tourists from Taiwan to Japan to rapidly increase. It has also brought the ROC and Japan closer together.

This was followed by another indicator of progress. In March 2009, the UK announced that it was granting non-work related visitors from Taiwan, i.e., those engaged in sightseeing, visiting relatives, study, or negotiations, six months visa-free treatment. This established a precedent for Europe and America, enabling them to open their doors to ROC tourists. The measures immediately brought significant benefits. It greatly increased the number of visitors to the UK from Taiwan. It also enabled the ROC to increase non-stop flights to the UK. Ireland followed suit in July, announcing that it was granting 90 day visa-free treatment. New Zealand announced that it was following suit in November of the same year.

In fact, our diplomatic corps' main task has been to promote visa-free treatment. First, the UK and Ireland. Now the EU is expected to grant the ROC a "Christmas present," namely, ninety days visa-free treatment by the end of the year. This is particularly encouraging. Currently a visa application costs two to three thousand NT. It requires a number of accompanying documents. If this threshold can be eliminated, the cost of travel to Europe will fall immediately. Twenty-eight nations in Europe may soon allow ROC citizens to travel freely. This will of course greatly increase people's willingness to travel to Europe. It will also have the positive effect of promoting bilateral exchanges.

The EU is willing to make such a decision. So are Japan, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Of course they are all doing so for practical reasons. This means that the ROC is economically strong, therefore universally respected by the international community. This is also an affirmation that the ROC is a developed nation, across the board. When countries grant visa-free treatment, they of course consider the economic benefits they can derive. But they also consider the potential negative impact of throwing open their doors. These include illegal workers, crime, and drug trafficking. In this regard, the ROC's crime rates, criminal investigation techniques, and passport security standards have inspired sufficient trust to enable more and more countries to open their doors to ROC citizens. This is a source of pride. It is also something we achieved by our own merits.

Meanwhile, the EU's push for visa-free treatment can proceed smoothly. Clearly this is closely related to the warming in cross-Strait relations. Currently Europe is experiencing an economic slowdown. They are delighted to see tourists from Taiwan spending money. But they cannot withstand a powerful backlash from Mainland China. Therefore, if Mainland China were to resort to hard-line opposition and economic boycotts, it would prevent the EU from granting the ROC visa-free treatment. Since President Ma took office, cross-Strait relations have emerged from past zero-sum confrontations. The two sides now enjoy a "diplomatic truce" in many areas, including diplomatic disputes, participation in the WHA, and the signing of FTAs. If the ROC can win visa-free status for ROC passport holders from the EU, that would amount to another important foreign policy achievement for President Ma.

Many policies involve lofty ideals. But whether a policy is good or bad depends upon how well it stands up to real world tests. Recent experiences shown that the ROC has not been marginalized. It can gradually break into the international community. More contacts and exchanges are in the pipeline. This policy direction should be affirmed, It should also continue to receive public support.

遊歐將免簽 活路外交看到成果了
2010-10-05
中國時報

繼英國與愛爾蘭先後給予台灣免簽證待遇後，歐洲聯盟也可望在今年底給予我國旅客免簽證的優惠，這不僅有助於台灣與歐洲的交流合作，也是對台灣的一大肯定。

前往外國觀光旅遊或探親洽商，如果可以不要辦理簽證，訂了機位說走就走，當然方便很多。但是台灣民眾出國，經常為了辦簽證而必須準備許多公證文件，要是帶小孩全家出遊，有時還要證明親子關係，花錢花時間也花功夫。

有些國家以全面免簽證政策吸引觀光客，但大部分國家的簽證政策是有選擇性的，針對不同國家會有不同的措施，其決策考量包括了雙邊關係、國家安全、國民素質、是否會助長非法打工、該國治安狀況及護照防偽技術等因素。

這些年來，台灣民眾出國免簽證的好消息一個接一個傳來，而且都是在之前受限於政治顧慮讓台灣難以取得簽證優惠待遇的國家。最早、也可說具有關鍵指標意義的，就是日本在二○○五年八月，由國會通過給予台灣觀光客永久免簽證的特別法案，是日本第六個給予免簽待遇的國家。

當時為了替愛知博覽會招攬遊客，日本特別對台灣旅客實施半年的免簽證措施，當實施期限將屆時，考量到一年上百萬台灣觀光客帶來的經濟效益，以及免簽證可以進一步增加的收益與節省簽證成本，日本決定給予台灣觀光免簽證待遇。但是這項決策曾經引發大陸的反對，推動進度也一度延擱，但後來經濟利益的務實考量仍然扳倒了政治顧慮，日本以國會通過特別法案的方式，給予台灣觀光免簽證待遇。而且有別於日本以往的外交操作慣例，並未同時給予大陸免簽證待遇以做平衡。這項便利，讓台灣赴日旅遊人數迅速暴增，也讓台日關係更加緊密。

接著，另一個指標性進展，是英國在二○○九年三月，宣布給予台灣非工作性質（觀光、探親、求學、洽商）六個月免簽證待遇，成為歐美率先對台敞開門戶先例。這項措施立即帶來明顯效益，不僅台灣赴英旅客大增，台英還進一步開啟直飛航線。愛爾蘭隨即也在七月宣布給予台灣九十天免簽證措施。紐西蘭則是在同年十一月宣布跟進。

事實上，推動赴外免簽一直是我國外交部門的重點工作，英、愛先行，歐盟又傳出可望在今年底送台灣一個九十天免簽證的耶誕禮物，令人格外振奮。現在要辦理簽證，需要二、三千台幣的費用，還要附上多項證明文件，如果將來可以省掉這一道門檻，赴歐洲旅遊的費用會立即下降，將來歐洲廿八國都能讓台灣民眾自由蹓躂時，當然會大大增長國人赴歐洲旅遊的意願，也將對促進雙方交流產生正面效果。

歐盟願意做出這樣的決定，和日本、英國、愛爾蘭一樣，當然都是出於現實利益的考量，意味著台灣的經濟實力受到國際社會的普遍重視，而且台灣在各方面的發展也受到肯定。因為各國在開放免簽證優惠措施時，除了考慮可以得到多少經濟收益之外，也必須評估開放門戶是否會引進負面衝擊，包括非法打工、犯罪、販毒等等。在這方面，台灣無論是國民素質、治安狀況、查緝犯罪乃至護照防偽技術的水準，都讓人家信得過，才有愈來愈多的國家樂意為台灣敞開大門。這可以說是台灣的驕傲，是我們以實力贏得的歡迎。

而另一方面，歐盟推動台灣免簽證的程序現在能夠順利進行，顯然也和兩岸關係轉趨和緩很有關係。目前歐洲景氣低迷，雖然樂見台灣遊客群來消費，但更吃不消中國的強烈反彈。因此，如果中國強硬反對並祭出經貿抵制，必然會阻撓歐盟開放對台免簽證的政策。自從馬總統上任後，兩岸關係的基調已走出過去零和式的對抗，「外交休兵」思維落實在許多國際領域，包括邦交之爭、參與世衛大會、簽署ＦＴＡ等等。歐盟對台免簽如果實現，將是馬總統兩岸及對外政策的又一重要成果。

許多政策都有高遠的理念，但政策孰優孰劣，必須從成效來檢驗。近來一連串的具體事例可以證明，台灣不但沒有被邊緣化，還漸漸能打破封閉走向國際社會，得到更多接觸交流的管道。這樣的政策方向值得肯定，也應該在國民的支持下繼續推動。