President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of August 16 attended the opening of a gathering of ROC diplomats stationed abroad who have been summoned back to Taiwan. He encouraged the diplomatic personnel to carry out work in four areas, namely implementing the policy of viable diplomacy, enhancing the nation's international image, strengthening risk management, and boosting services to the public. These efforts, the president said, will enable the world to sense the accomplishments and contributions of Taiwan.
The president remarked that this is the first such large-scale meeting organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for ROC diplomats stationed overseas in 15 years. The goal of bringing the diplomats back to Taiwan is to help them better understand the state of development on various fronts at home and to hone their abilities in carrying out their diplomatic efforts, he said. The president acknowledged that the ROC has faced considerable challenges in its diplomatic work over the past 100 years. However, thanks to the efforts of the diplomatic corps, policy adjustments by the government, and the increasing strength of the nation, the ROC has begun to generate a positive impact on the world, he said.
President Ma furthermore stated that the ROC at one point in the past maintained diplomatic relations with over 60 countries. However, the nation began to encounter enormous challenges when mainland China started its aggressive efforts to enter the United Nations (UN). The president noted that the ROC lost its seat at the UN after the passage of United Nations Resolution 2758 on October 25, 1971. From 1971 to 1979, he said, many countries, including the United States, severed formal diplomatic relations with the ROC, leading to an extremely difficult phase for the nation in its diplomatic relations with other countries.
But even though the United States and mainland China established diplomatic ties, Washington never recognized Taiwan as belonging to mainland China. Meanwhile, many other nations also entered into diplomatic relations with mainland China while taking a variety of stances with regard to Taiwan in their joint communiqués on the establishment of diplomatic relations. For instance, Canada "noted" mainland China's stance on Taiwan when it established ties with Beijing in 1971, while Japan stated in 1972 that it "understands and respects" mainland China's position. In 1979, the president said, the United States used the word "acknowledge" and not "recognize" with regard to mainland China's stance on Taiwan, which shows that while many nations have established formal ties with mainland China, a large number of these countries have maintained space to interact with the ROC. This is the true picture of the international situation, he said.
The president expressed his belief that the ROC over the past 60 years on Taiwan has continued to develop and has achieved outstanding accomplishments, which cannot be ignored. However, we must forge breakthroughs in an especially trying situation, he said, remarking that since his university days he has constantly thought about how to create a long-term path of stability for the ROC. The idea of "viable diplomacy," which he began to implement after taking office in May 2008, is the result of that long period of thought, he said. This policy seeks to forge mutual benefit for both sides and put to an end the contentious struggle and attempts by each side to lure away the diplomatic allies of the other. At the same time, this approach is also designed to promote virtuous competition in terms of global values. The president pointed to the outstanding performances of Taiwan's youth in international design and invention competitions as an example, saying that this soft power is impressing the world and generating respect for the ROC. Consequently, we should compete with the rest of the world, including mainland China, in things such as this, he said, emphasizing that this is the right path to take.
In turning his attention to the development of cross-strait relations, the president stressed that the ROC, under the framework of the Constitution, will seek to maintain the cross-strait status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force." In addition, the promotion of peaceful development between the two sides will take place based on the "1992 Consensus" of "one China, respective interpretations." The president pointed out that former Premier Tang Fei (唐飛) wrote in a recent book that there is currently no substitute for the "no unification, no independence, and no use of force" policy. This is the belief of most peoples, and public opinion polls show that this stance is strongly supported by the public, he said. We absolutely cannot return to engaging in "scorched earth diplomacy," "checkbook diplomacy," or "dollar diplomacy," the president stated. Rather, the ROC must return to normal diplomacy, emphasizing its role as a peacemaker, provider of humanitarian aid, promoter of cultural ties, creator of new technologies and business opportunities, and a standard-bearer of Chinese culture. This is the environment in which we seek to forge competition, he said, adding that this is what will enable the world to see Taiwan's worth.
As to how Taiwan can exhibit even more compassion around the world, the president said that the ROC is a newly industrialized nation. According to standards set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, foreign aid among countries in this category should constitute 0.7% of GDP. President Ma said that we still have quite a distance to go to reach that target and therefore how to effectively provide foreign assistance will continue to be a topic that we need to ponder. However, he opined that if Taiwan is able to bring technology and compassion to other developing nations, we are sure to win more respect from the people of the world.
Lastly, the president encouraged the diplomats stationed overseas to make sure that work in four areas is carried out successfully: 1) Implement viable diplomacy: The president said that viable diplomacy has created new space for us in the international community and that diplomats should take advantage by developing comprehensive relationships with countries around the world, expanding business opportunities for the ROC, and maximizing the cultural soft power of the ROC; 2) Enhance the nation's international image: The president stated that education is a profession that cannot be practiced with a reckless attitude, and it is an important industry for the ROC. He expressed his hope that a greater number of outstanding students from throughout the world can be attracted to study in Taiwan, thereby boosting the nation's image; 3) Strengthen risk management: President Ma noted that climate change is making extreme weather more and more common. Consequently, we must adopt contingency in advance so we are prepared to deal with earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters. This, he said, will reduce the loss of life and damage to property, and will also provide enormous assistance to the public of the ROC and our allies; 4) Boost services to the public: The president commented that the increased number of countries providing visa-free courtesies (or landing visas) to ROC nationals has led to an increase in the number of our people travelling overseas. He expressed his hope that our diplomats will make sure that related services are provided to the public as necessary.
President Ma stressed that the government's embrace of aboveboard and ethical diplomatic policies can help to considerably reduce the amount of money spent and put diplomatic work on the right path. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said, shoulders the responsibility of conducting diplomatic work and ensuring the interests of ROC citizens while overseas. The president called on all diplomats to continue carrying out the agenda so as to make the public aware of what the ministry is doing on their behalf.