Diplomacy Should Not Distinguish Between Blue and Green

Diplomacy Should Not Distinguish Between Blue and Green
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
May 18, 2011

During the DPP presidential primaries, former DPP chairman Hsu Hsin-liang reiterated that "[The ROC government on] Taiwan is in no danger of losing its sovereignty. Taiwan is in no danger of being reunified." Hsu raised 5 million NT so that he could enter the presidential primaries and speak his mind. Unfortunately, the primaries were soon over, and the 5 million NT fee was all for naught. No one within the party paid any attention to him. Even Tsai Ing-wen, who prides herself on being moderate and rational, has persisted in scare-mongering over the issue of sovereignty, as her primary strategy in her quest for the presidency. The DPP has lambasted the Ma administration. It has accused it of "forfeiting its sovereignty and humiliating the nation." But the DPP could hardly evade the embarrassing reality. During its eight years in power, the DPP attended WHO meetings no less than 18 times under the name "Taiwan, China."

The ROC government is in a difficult situation internationally. At home and abroad, the election has precipitated intense Blue vs. Green conflict. But diplomacy ought to be above Blue and Green. The ROC government fought many years to obtain WHO observer status. This status ought to be cherished. It makes no sense to sacrifice the national interest for the sake of the presidential election.

The simple fact is that ever since United Nations Resolution 275 expelled the Republic of China from the UN, 40 years ago, all United Nations organizations have viewed us as a province of [the Peoples Republic of] China. This is the international reality everyone on Taiwan must face. It is the reason we were unable to participate in WHO activities for so many years. Only when the Ma administration adopted the "Zhong Hua Tai Bei" (Chinese Taipei) nomenclature that we were granted observer status. Only then could the ROC government communicate with other nations regarding outbreaks under International Health Regulations (IHR). Also, our representatives to APEC have been accorded the highest status ever in recent years. ROC citizens have now been accorded visa free treatment by 113 nations. These diplomatic breakthroughs and this progress cannot be denied.

The Democratic Progressive Party ruled for eight years. During that time, its scorched earth diplomacy led to a conflagration. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was rendered impotent. Allies defected. The number of nations befriending us dropped from 29 to 23. Repeated protests lodged with the WHO failed to gain us admission. Between 2004 and 2007, the ruling DPP knew it lacked the required votes. Yet it insisted on forcing a vote in the WHO. In the end, the votes were not there. The public was let down. Something the DPP could not achieve, the Ma administration succeed in achieving. We have a question for the DPP. If you return to power, do you intend to relinquish our "Chinese Taipei" observer status at the WHO?

In 2005, the WHO agreed to allow the ROC government to participate in the activities of peripheral WHO organizations. That year, the WHO and the PRC authorities signed a Memorandum of Understanding. They defined Taiwan as a province of [the Peoples Republic of] China. The ruling DPP lodged a verbal protest. But nothing changed. In the end, who was humiliated? Others may not understand the situation. But Tsai Ing-wen was vice premier. She knew what happened.

When Lee Teng-hui was in office, Tsai Ing-wen requisitioned 2.62 million NT from the National Security Council, for the "816 Project Study." The study concluded that if the Republic of China government hoped to reconnect with the international community, it would have to admit that "Zhong Hua Tai Bei (Chinese Taipei) was an international reality, and the best way [for the ROC government to participate in international activities.]" The Ma administration has merely implemented the recommendations of the study commissioned by Tsai Ing-wen. How exactly has it "forfeited its sovereignty and humiliated the nation?"

The DPP argued that when participating in international activities, it is best to use the term "Taiwan." If that is impossible, "Chinese Taipei" is an acceptable compromise. The DPP accused the Ma administration of accepting the term, "Taiwan, Province of China," The DPP claimed it would never do that. But we have to ask the DPP, when did the Ma administration ever accept the term, "Taiwan, Province of China?" Didn't the Ma administration attend the WHO under the name "Chinese Taipei?" Didn't the Ma administration lodge a stern protest with the WHO? The DPP has it backwards. When the DPP was in power, it attended 18 meetings under the name "China, Taiwan." Did the DPP government accept the idea that Taiwan is a province of [the Peoples Republic of] China?

The Democratic Progressive Party argues that our name is not the problem, that what's important is our identity. Under the Olympic model, it argues, we have full membership. Under the WHO General Assembly however, we do not. The DPP argues that "This is quite different from our so-called diplomatic breakthrough," True. Everyone in the country wants full formal membership. But the DPP was in office for eight years. It was unable to win observer status for us. What right does it have to make such irresponsible accusations today?

The Ma administration has been in office three years. People may hold different views about its performance. But it has made important diplomatic breakthroughs, and outstanding progress in cross-Strait relations. The DPP is challenging the Ma administration's diplomatic achievements. But in doing so, it has merely reminded the public about the DPP's scorched earth diplomacy, and the painful memories of its eight year reign.

Tsai Ing-wen is Chairman of the DPP. She was once Chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, and Vice Premier of the Executive Yuan. Tsai Ing-wen prides herself on being a representative of moderation and rationality. If so, then her deeds must match her words. She may not contradict herself. Tsai Ing-wen is a presidential candidate whom many have pinned their hopes on. We must remind Tsai Ing-wen that she may not repeatedly say one thing while doing another. Tsai Ing-wen blasted the 18% preferential interest rate for civil service employees. But all the while, she herself was benefitting from it. When this was made public, she said she was renouncing it. But soon afterwards she made the baffling declaration that she would no longer turn her 18% over to charity. The most recent reports say that she is continuing to receive the 18% interest payments. Tsai Ing-wen recently expressed opposition to the Kuo Kuang Petrochemical Plant project. But she once phoned members of the environmental impact assessment committee, demanding that phase three of the Taichung Science Park be swiftly approved. Does anyone dare entrust the affairs of state to a political leader whose words so flagrantly contradict her deeds?

拚外交 不應該分藍綠
2011-05-18 中國時報

前民進黨主席許信良在黨內總統提名初選時，一再強調：「台灣沒有主權流失的危機，台灣沒有被統一的威脅。」很遺憾，許信良自籌五百萬爭來的發言，初選一過，即付諸流水；不但黨內沒人理會，自詡溫和理性的蔡英文，依舊以主權恐懼做為競逐總統大位的主策略。然而，當民進黨痛批馬政府喪權辱國的同時，卻無可迴避民進黨執政八年，曾經十八次以「Taiwan，China」的名稱，出席世衛組織的周邊會議。

台灣國際處境維艱，不論國內為了選舉而有多嚴重的藍綠衝突，外交應該不分藍綠，對於奮鬥多年掙來的世衛組織觀察員身份，理應珍惜，沒有道理為了總統大選，犧牲國家利益。

事實上，自從聯合國二七五八號決議文，將中華民國排出聯合國後，四十年來聯合國組織就認為我為中國的一省。這是台灣不能不面對的國際現實，也因此導致我國長期無法參與世衛組織。直到馬政府才得以「中華台北（Chinese Taipei）」名稱，以國家級觀察員身分與會，台灣並已能與國際衛生條例（ＩＨＲ）相關國家進行疫情聯繫；此外，參與ＡＰＥＣ的代表層級也是歷年來最高，還有一百一十三國免簽證。這些外交突破和進展，不是任何人能予以否定。

民進黨執政八年，烽火外交搞得風風火火，外交卻依舊一籌莫展；邦交國流失，從廿九國降為廿三國。即令世衛組織次次抗議，依舊無法取得門票；二○○四年和二○○七年，明知票數不足，還在世衛組織強推提案投票，最終以票數懸殊收場，讓國人沮喪不已。民進黨做不到的事，馬政府做到了。試問：如果民進黨再執政，會放棄以「中華台北」成為世衛組織觀察員的身分嗎？

二○○五年，ＷＨＯ同意台灣參與周邊會議。當年，世衛組織與中國大陸即簽訂備忘錄，將台灣定位為中國的一省，民進黨政府除了口頭抗議，沒有任何具體作為改變這個現實，到底是誰喪權辱國？別人不了解這個情況，蔡英文曾任行政院副院長，應該非常清楚。

更何況，早在李登輝執政時期，蔡英文就向國安會請款二百六十二萬元，進行「八一六專案」研究，其研究報告的結論直指，中華民國要走出國際，「中華台北（Chinese Taipei）是國際現實下，台灣最好的途徑與方法。」馬政府落實執行她曾經研究的結論，有何喪權辱國可言？

民進黨聲稱，參與國際社會，能用「台灣」最好，如果不行，使用「中華台北」也是一種委曲求全的辦法，但民進黨不會像馬政府一樣接受中國台灣省。請問：馬政府什麼時候接受中國台灣省了？馬政府出席世衛組織不就是用「中華台北」嗎？馬政府也嚴正抗議；反倒是民進黨政府在「中國台灣」的名稱下出席十八次會議，難不成民進黨政府其實是接受中國台灣省？

民進黨又說，名稱不是問題，身分才是重點，在奧會模式中，我們有完整的會員資格，但在世衛大會，我們並非正式會員，「與所謂的外交突破，不可同日而語」。沒有錯，全國民眾都希望我們能夠擁有完整正式的會員資格，但是，民進黨政府執政八年，甚至連觀察員身分都爭取不到，還有什麼臉面說三道四？

馬政府執政三年，或許很多人對其政績有仁智之見，但外交上的突破與兩岸關係上的進展，的確表現亮眼。民進黨以外交成績質疑政府，只喚醒了民眾對民進黨執政八年烽火外交，草木皆兵的慘痛記憶。

身為民進黨主席、曾任行政院陸委會主委和副院長，蔡英文又自詡是溫和理性的代表，就得言行合一，不能後語推翻前言。因為蔡英文是許多民眾寄予厚望的總統參選人，我們必須提醒蔡英文：言行不一之事不能一而再、再而三。隨便舉例，蔡英文痛批十八％，但她領了十八％，宣布放棄之後，還莫名其妙的說未來就不能捐助公益了，現在甚至鬧出她還繼續在領十八％的羅生門；再如蔡英文反對國光石化，但是，她卻是當年打電話關切環評委員，要求中科三期環評過關的關鍵人士。做為政治領袖，言行矛盾至此，誰還敢把國家大政交到她手上？