President Ma defines ‘flexible diplomacy’

In a speech before advisors to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission (OCAC), President Ma said Taiwan should strengthen relations with major powers of the world but does not have to win diplomatic allies simply for the sake of winning.

None of the world powers have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Taipei maintains official ties with 23 countries, practically all of them mini-states.

“That’s flexible diplomacy,” President Ma explained.

It’s an about-face demarche from President Chen Shui-bian’s foreign policy. He conducted what he called “torching diplomacy,” trying to get China’s diplomatic allies to defect to Taiwan almost at any cost.

Another feature of Chen’s foreign policy was “transit diplomacy.” To conduct his “summit diplomacy” by visiting Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, he made it a point to stay in transit in the United States and other countries with which Taiwan have no official ties.

One net result was that Taiwan was considered an international “trouble-maker,” President Ma said.

“In particular,” Ma continued to explain his flexible diplomacy, “we’ll try to reach agreement with the other side of the Taiwan Strait in our effort to win diplomatic allies.”

“Both sides shall refrain from winning defectors,” Ma went on, adding: “In international relations, just like in our relations between the two sides of the Strait, we need reconciliation and truce.”

What Ma meant is that an understanding must be reached between Taipei and Beijing on a cease-fire on the diplomatic front. He did not say if dialogue will get under way to reach that understanding, however.

OCAC advisors met in Taipei for an annual convention. They are concerned about Taiwan’s foreign relations.

Ma said Taiwan has every right to join the United Nations. “But,” he added, “we have to make a low-profile appeal, which is appreciated by many a country of the world.”

“This, again, is a feature of flexible diplomacy,” the president pointed out.

Flexible diplomacy, the president continued, rules out “secret diplomacy” and “checkbook diplomacy.”

Chen Shui-bian is under investigation for corruption in connection with the misuse of his “state affairs” fund and the laundering of millions of dollars by claiming the money was used for the conduct of his personal secret diplomacy.

“Not only has such secret diplomacy failed to bring any benefit to Taiwan,” President Ma said, “but has also seriously damaged Taiwan’s world image as well.”

He referred to a scandal involving a US$30 million attempt to buy diplomatic relations with Papua New Guinea. The money was pocketed by two self-styled diplomatic brokers.

Moreover, Ma said, high-profile “summit diplomacy” is totally unnecessary. President Chen was a spend-thrift globe-trotter during his eight-year term.

The former president spent billions of dollars to win three diplomatic allies over the past eight years. But Taiwan lost nine diplomatic friends in the process.

When Chen was inaugurated in 2000, Taiwan maintained diplomatic relations with 29 countries. There were only 23 when he stepped down on last May 20.

None of Taiwan’s 23 diplomatic allies have switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing after Ma took office.

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