Diplomat suggests clarifying policy on foreign aid to allies

While the new direction of relations with China and President Ma's "diplomatic truce" approach have given the impression that Taiwan is evaluating its foreign aid programs and may make some adjustments, some diplomatic allies are uncertain that Taiwan will fulfill its pledges, according to the diplomat.

The senior Foreign Ministry official, who declined to be identified, said that Taiwan highly valued its allies in Latin America, but the complicated political landscape in the region requires that Taiwan's diplomatic system re-think its strategies.

Translating the concept of "diplomatic truce" into a concrete aid policy is one of the government's biggest challenges.

The diplomat asserted that Taiwan should make clear to its allies that a new emphasis on not recklessly spending money was not tantamount to cutting aid, and that it was willing to increase financial support targeted at each country's tangible needs.

Such an approach, the official argued, would prevent future surprises and build clear guidelines on country-to-country exchanges that would stabilize the new diplomatic framework.

President Ma's three trips to Taiwan's Latin American allies since he assumed the presidency in May 2008 manifest the importance of the region in Taiwan's foreign relations.

Immediately after his inauguration in May 2008, President Ma visited Paraguay and the Dominican Republic. Last month, he made a trip to El Salvador, Belize and Guatemala, and he just recently concluded the visit to Panama and Nicaragua.

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