Foreign policy debated as Ma, Hsieh square off

In the second and last TV debate with his Kuomintang rival Ma Ying-jeou, the Democratic Progressive Party candidate for president said Taiwan should continue to do what it can to maintain diplomatic relations with as many countries as possible.

“But,” Hsieh pointed out, “if diplomatic allies apparently just want extortion money, we would rather have none (of them).”

He so responded when asked whether Taiwan should continue what is popularly known as “a fool’s diplomacy” or “checkbook diplomacy,” in which Taiwan pays heavily under the pretext of foreign aid to keep its dwindling circle of small nations which demand money to remain loyal to Taipei.

In answer to the same question, Ma only said he would continue foreign assistance but also ensure that no money would go to line the pockets of unscrupulous politicians.

Altogether five media representatives fielded 20 questions at the debate, which began on the Public Television Service at 2:30 p.m. The PTS organized the debate jointly with the China Times, United Daily News, Central News Agency, Liberty Times, and Apple Daily.

After the question-and-answer period, the two adversaries were given time to cross-examine each other, each asking five questions for the other to respond to.

Both of them expressed support of arms purchases to defend Taiwan. Ma, however, promised to spend at least 3 percent of gross domestic product on defense spending and said he would consider acquiring weapons that may be regarded as offensive.

Hsieh said he would prefer to buy only defensive weapons and had no time to respond to Ma’s charges that the DPP government had failed to spend below the 3 percent GDP line and allowing Taiwan’s defense to weaken.

They traded charges against each other over Ma’s cross-strait common market and relations between Taiwan and China.

The DPP candidate charged that a common market is a prelude to selling-out of Taiwan. “No matter how you may try,” he told Ma, “no success will come. For success depends entirely on China.”

If Ma opened Taiwan to China, Hsieh went on, the Taiwan economy would collapse.

His Kuomintang adversary denied the charges and pointed out that a common market is a long-term, evolutionary process. “We are not going to be open to China alone,” he said, “Taiwan will also be open to all countries.”

He said Taiwan should sign a trade agreement with China as a starter. “We will then sign free trade agreements or similar arrangements with the United States, Japan, the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and others to put Taiwan within the global network,” he stressed.

1|2|Next Page>>

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email