Washington Post readers quiz lawmaker, professor on meaningful UN participation
Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim and Professor Lo Chih-cheng of the Department of Political Science at Soochow University in Taipei participated in an online discussion with readers of the Washington Post Sept. 8. The event was organized to help people better understand issues concerning Taiwan's right to participate in the United Nations and its efforts toward achieving that goal.
The discussion was held in advance of the U.N. General Committee's rejection Sept.12 of Taiwan's bid to participate in the United Nations being included on the agenda for discussion at the General Assembly. It was hosted by the Government Information Office--the agency that publishes this newspaper--conducted by the Washingtonpost.com's internationally popular "Viewpoint" forum, and began at 10 p.m. Taipei time. After briefing members of the press and thanking the two for speaking on Taiwan's behalf at this unprecedented live event, GIO Minister Cheng Wen-tsang stayed to enjoy the lively discussion, which he said was a great success.
The hour-long chat attracted 135 questions and comments from around the world and demonstrated readers' concerns related to Taiwan's bid to gain representation in the United Nations. Hsiao and Lo only had sufficient time to respond to 31 of the most representative questions.
An e-mailer in Berlin asked whether participation in the world body was necessary for a country such as Taiwan, which had achieved impressive economic and political development without a U.N. seat. Hsiao responded that was "precisely because Taiwan has grown in economy and politics that we wish to be a normal country recognized by the international community and able to contribute our achievement to the world." She pointed out that Taiwan carried out numerous foreign aid projects in the fields of agriculture and medicine and that such projects could be "much more effective if coordinated with the various U.N. agencies."
When questioned from London about the definition of "meaningful participation" in Taiwan's campaign to join the World Health Organization, Hsiao replied that "besides becoming a full-fledged member of the WHO, meaningful participation entails the ability of Taiwanese medical and health experts to take part in international efforts to combat diseases such as SARS and the sharing of relevant information through the agency."
On the topic of a draft resolution concerning the maintenance of peace in the Taiwan Strait, which the ROC's diplomatic allies had recommended to the U.N. General Assembly, a participant in Boston asked what the United Nations could do in that regard. Noting that the Taiwan Strait is recognized as a "flashpoint" in Asia, Lo stressed the importance of U.N. involvement by stating that, in an increasingly interdependent world, "any tension or even military conflict in the Taiwan Strait could affect the whole region and the whole world."
"I think the U.N. can bring the issue to the table for discussion, or even invite both Beijing and Taipei to talk to each other at the U.N.," Lo replied.
In response to a Canadian's expression of puzzlement at why China persists in blocking Taiwan's U.N. participation when it must realize that doing so will only push the Taiwanese people further away, Lo concurred, emphasizing that "China's efforts to isolate Taiwan internationally only alienate the Taiwanese people."
In answer to a question concerning the seriousness of China's threat to peace and security across the Taiwan Strait, Hsiao remarked "China has never ruled out the use of force against Taiwan. In fact, in the so-called Anti-Secession Law passed by the PRC's National People's Congress last year, the Chinese have provided themselves with the legal authority to use force against Taiwan." She went on to say "There are currently 800 missiles, growing at a rate of 100 to 150 each year, deployed against Taiwan." Stressing that such actions must be taken seriously, she explained that "the reason why a number of Taiwan's allies submitted a letter to the U.N. General Assembly requesting a proactive role for the U.N. in maintaining peace and security in Asia" is that they hoped it would treat the Chinese missile build-up with the same degree of concern as it had treated North Korea's recent missile tests.
A full transcript of the discussion is available at http://english.www.gov.tw/e-Gov/index.jsp.
In related news, Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) led a number of U.S. Congress members Sept. 8 in urging John Bolton, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to support Taiwan's bid for U.N. participation. In the letter delivered to Bolton, Tancredo and his three colleagues said that Taiwan was a stable, democratic presence in Asia that had long demonstrated its commitment to international cooperation. Although not a U.N. member, Taiwan had heeded calls by the United Nations for emergency relief and assistance to countries suffering from disasters and wars, providing aid to Kosovo, Afghanistan, El Salvador, Turkey, Nicaragua and even New York City in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, they pointed out.
Meanwhile, after hearing a new U.N. report on "Prevention of Armed Conflict" Sept. 7, five of Taiwan's diplomatic allies complained that the United Nations was neglecting the Taiwan Strait dispute and asked the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council to face the fact that cross-strait tensions could jeopardize peace and stability in East Asia, and to promote peace across the Taiwan Strait. Representatives of the five countries--the Gambia, Tuvalu, Nicaragua, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Solomon Islands--in a pre-emptive move, accused China of expanding its arsenal of missiles aimed at Taiwan in readiness for invasion and urged the United Nations to step in and promote peaceful dialogue between the two parties.
President Chen Shui-bian completed a four-day official visit to two Pacific allies Sept. 6, following a stopover in the U.S. territory of Guam. This was the first time in 58 years an ROC president had flown Air Force One--a Boeing 737 jet plane operated by the ROC Air Force--overseas and, furthermore, the first time it had passed through Japanese and U.S. airspace.
Around 80 senior officials, including Vice President Annette Lu, Premier Su Tseng-chang and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, bid Chen and his entourage farewell at Sungshan Airport, a joint civil-military airfield in downtown Taipei. Accompanying the official jetliner was a plane chartered from Taiwan's China Airlines carrying the press corps to Palau and, as far as the edge of Taiwan's territorial airspace, by three ROC Air Force F-16 fighters.
Members of Chen's entourage included Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of the President Liu Shih-fang, Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang, Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Ruey-long, and Minister of the Government Information Office Cheng Wen-tsang, as well as various other government officials and legislators from across the political spectrum.
Shortly after his arrival, Chen held talks with Palau President Tommy Esang Remengesau Jr. Later, Chen met separately with Marshall Islands President Kessai Note, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Tuvalu Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia for wide-ranging bilateral talks.
At the welcoming dinner hosted by Remengesau, Chen said that Taiwan would forge a viable mechanism for closer interaction and long-term cooperation with its Pacific allies. The banquet was held in honor of Chen and the heads of states of other countries attending the First Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit, which included Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the host nation Palau.
Noting that Taiwan and its six Pacific allies share common Austronesian origins, Chen said the first leadership meeting between Taiwan and the six allies was of great significance. Taiwan had come a long way, developing its economy with limited natural resources, Chen said, adding that Taiwan was sincere in wanting to share its experiences, knowledge and technical know-how with its allies.
On the morning of Sept. 4, Chen held bilateral talks with Kiribati President Anote Tong and Nauru President Ludwig Scotty before attending the summit, at which he and the participating heads of state signed a Palau Declaration setting out a framework for future cooperation mechanisms and partnerships between Taiwan and its allies.
The declaration followed a day of high-level discussions on the development of government capabilities, eight areas of cooperation and establishment of a new regional alliance to improve health and medical standards. The declaration also stated that a second summit would be held next year in Majuro, capital of the Marshall Islands.
Leaders of the six allied nations also expressed support for Taiwan's achievements in political democratization and economic development, and recognized "Taiwan as a sovereign nation whose right to participate in international organizations and regional organizations cannot be deprived." The declaration reaffirmed that "Taiwan's allies are committed to continuing their firm support for Taiwan's entitlement to undertake full involvement in international and regional organizations and initiatives."
Hou Sheng-mau, minister of Taiwan's cabinet-level Department of Health and his counterparts from the six other nations attended the Pacific Health Forum, which was also held in Palau Sept. 4. The ministers all lent their support to Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Organization. As WHO will elect a new director-general in November, the six health ministers urged all candidates for the post to deal with Taiwan's bid, saying that WHO violates the purpose underlying its establishment by shutting Taiwan out of the international body.
During the forum, Hou and his counterparts signed bilateral health accords, under which Taiwan will send medical teams to its allies to offer charitable medical treatment and consultation services, while the Pacific countries will send medical personnel for training in Taiwan.
Chen, his entourage and the press corps flew from Palau to Nauru late on Sept. 5. Due to the small size of Nauru's airport, the group traveled on two chartered China Airlines jets, Air Force One having already returned to Taipei on the evening of Sept. 3 after refueling in Palau. Chen arrived in Nauru early Sept. 6 and gave an address to the Nauru parliament.
On its way back to Taipei, the delegation made a four-hour stopover in Guam, where the U.S.-based Chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan Raymond Burghardt greeted Chen. While the planes were refueling, Chen met a number of Taiwanese expatriates and Guam officials but, in line with the U.S. government's transit code of conduct, did not hold a press conference nor make a public speech.
Double Tenth: Special symbolism
This year's Double Tenth National Day will be celebrated with particular fervor throughout Taiwan as well as among Taiwan's friends around the world. As the date when the first shots of the revolution 95 years ago that overthrew China's archaic imperial system, Oct. 10 has a special symbolism for the ROC--even after so long and on a different land mass--due to the historical connection between that event and the open democratic system, prosperous economy and pluralistic society the island's people now enjoy.
The National Day celebrations provide a solemn moment at which the country's leaders and people, and their allies and friends can look back on the hard-earned achievements and contemplate how best to move forward and accomplish the unfinished tasks ahead.
By any reasonable measure, Taiwan deserves to be given a clean bill of health in all aspects of progress and development. In the political and social spectrum, freedom and democracy have taken root since the first opposition party established itself exactly 20 years ago and martial law was lifted one year later. Moreover, in contrast to the authoritarianism of earlier times, the road to the nation's first direct presidential election in 1996, first transfer of political power after five decades of rule by a single party in 2000, implementation of constitutional amendments and establishment of the people's right to referendum were all achieved peacefully. This also contrasts sharply with the widespread violence and bloodletting that accompanied transitions from authoritarianism to democracy in various neighboring countries and, indeed, around the world.
This is an ongoing process, of course, and in a democratic system, by definition, different voices and different sections of society strive to be heard. Within this context, the current political disputes in Taiwan can be interpreted as one face of the democratic process of renewal and evolution. Most importantly, these disputes are taking place peacefully and within the rule of law.
In parallel to this continual strengthening of Taiwan's democracy has been a blossoming of social pluralism. This can be seen clearly in the voicing of opinions and expression of political, religious and social will by various groups that were long overlooked. This process also highlights the innate tolerance of Taiwan's people.
A third face of this multifaceted development is the growth of Taiwan's civil society. Armed with the freedoms of the press, speech and association, Taiwan's people have expanded their influence into all spheres of the island's life, nongovernmental organizations have proliferated and the fourth estate has dedicated itself to overseeing government administration.
The most conspicuous change in Taiwan's culture, therefore, is a popular confidence, powered by the knowledge that decisions at all levels now emanate from the bottom-up and are not handed down from above. The Taiwanese people are the true masters of their homeland; sovereignty lies in their hands. The government now exists in order to serve the people and promote their well-being, as it should. Legislators know that they must implement the people's will or risk their wrath at the ballot box.
The "people's power" of this political reality was also the driving force for democratic reform in Taiwan. No single political leader in Taiwan can claim credit for the island's democratic revolution; this laurel wreath is shared by the island's 23 million citizens. Nevertheless, acknowledgement must be given to former President Lee Teng-hui and his successor President Chen Shui-bian for their unique contributions and dedication to promoting and enhancing the substance and quality of the democratic reform. Lee took political risks to lay solid democratic foundations, upon which Chen has built a robust framework of constitutional democracy. Their efforts have won support and admiration from around the world, and Taiwan's road to democracy and prosperity is a model many nations seek to copy.
It is fitting, therefore, that Chen will lead the nation in celebrating this anniversary of the first steps along the long path toward freedom and democracy, values which, although they can never be taken for granted, have taken such strong root in Taiwan's fertile soil.
Taiwan would continue to implement its current policies and measures despite the recent political unrest, government ministers said at a press conference Sept. 20.
The conference was organized by the Government Information Office--the agency that publishes this newspaper--to introduce these policies and explain the administration's position vis-a-vis the events taking place on Taipei's downtown streets that began with a large-scale demonstration Sept. 9 to demand that President Chen Shui-bian step down in response to corruption allegations leveled against his family members and aides.
GIO Minister Cheng Wen-tsang chaired the conference, which was also attended by Chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council Joseph Wu and Chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development Hu Sheng-cheng.
Cheng said the political events of the last two weeks were within the rights of the people and, as such, were protected under the Constitution. Nevertheless, he emphasized that all controversies relating to presidential power and judicial investigations into the corruption allegations should be resolved according to the law. Before such investigations were complete, no one had the right to replace judicial procedure.
Asked by a reporter what solution there might be to the current political stalemate, Cheng answered that conflict only weakened the country, and, quoting Premier Su Tseng-chang, he urged all political parties and their leaders to take responsibility to stabilize society.
Asked to comment on the possibility of a general strike as had been advocated by some members of the anti-Chen campaign, Cheng said that strikes with political intention were not allowed by the nation's laws.
Hu said that, to date, the political disputes caused by those seeking to oust Chen had not affected Taiwan's economy but that the possible political strike could affect Taiwan's economy. He calculated that, based on Taiwan's 2005 GDP of US$0.35 trillion, a strike could cost maximum losses of over US$0.95 billion per day, but this figure would depend on the level of participation. Hu added that possibly larger effects would be felt on Taiwan's bourse due to a strike's effects on investor and stock trader confidence.
Wu said that, so far, the recent political disputes in Taiwan similarly had not had any noticeable impact on ongoing negotiations on charter flights and personnel exchanges between Taiwan and China, and that the government was still set to realize the "consensus opinions" relating to cross-strait affairs reached at the Conference on Sustaining Taiwan's Economic Development, which was held in late July. Nevertheless, Wu still expected China would continue to exercise its "carrot and stick" policy toward Taiwan to divide and weaken the island nation.
MOF chief Ho talks tax, customs, oil at APEC meeting in Vietnam
Minister of Finance Ho Chih-chin attended the 13th APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam Sept. 7-8. The meeting of the 21 member economies' finance chiefs acted as a platform for the exchange of opinions on financial and taxation policies, paving the way for this year's ensuing series of economic meetings held under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum's auspices in advance of the forum's Economic Leaders' Meeting Nov. 18-19.
Ho's visit included an exclusive meeting of finance ministers Sept. 7 followed by various formal get-togethers over the two days. At the first meeting, Ho expressed his opinions on tax incentive measures to his counterparts, including U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Singapore's Second Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam, said a Sept. 8 Ministry of Finance press release. Ho also met representatives of the APEC Business Advisory Council and expressed Taiwan's support for the Asian Bond Fund.
During the formal session on the first day, which focused on regional economic development, Ho indicated that, despite downturns in domestic consumption and investment caused by rising oil prices and credit card debts, Taiwan had still reported an expanding external trade volume this year, largely due to the strong demand for consumer electronics. By the end of the year, the nation's economic growth rate was predicted to reach 4.28 percent, posting a slight increase on the 2005 figure of 4.03 percent, the press release stated.
Ho's Sept. 7 bilateral talks, including those with the Philippines, Thailand and Canada, were particularly successful, covering issues ranging from cooperation in financial supervision and customs affairs, to tax conventions, oil prices and energy policies.
Second-day sessions concentrated on this year's two policy themes: "Promoting Public Finance Efficiency and Sustainability: Towards Stable and Efficient Revenue Sources" and "Financial Sector Reform to Attract Capital Flows." Representatives from Taiwan submitted papers on the nation's arrangement of government bonds, measures to prevent money laundering and so forth, according to the press release.
Speaking about Taiwan's financial sector reforms, Ho told the meeting that these included deregulation of interest rates and foreign exchange rates, opening market access to overseas financial institutions, internationalization of financial services, and liberalization of the movement of capital, the MOF reported.
At the end of the two-day event, the 21 financial representatives issued a Joint Ministerial Statement, stressing their consensus on pursuit of tax reforms and stable and efficient revenue systems. The statement, as posted on APEC's Web site, also noted the region's economic growth despite rising oil prices, stated that member economies "remained firmly committed to restarting the multilateral trade negotiations," and hoped that "the conclusion of regional trade agreements and free trade agreements can make an important contribution to trade liberalization and can help invigorate the DDA negotiations," referring to the WTO's Doha Development Agenda, which focused on the economic needs of underdeveloped and developing countries.
In addition to Ho, Taiwan's representatives included Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of China Liang Fa-chin, MOF Vice Minister Lin Tseng-chi and Director General of the Banking Bureau of the Financial Supervisory Commission Gary Tseng.
The Conference on Sustaining Taiwan's Economic Development concluded July 28, with participants agreeing on 516 of the items proposed for deliberation. These ranged in topic from issues of social security and government efficiency, to business competitiveness, cross-strait trade ties and financial reforms.
In short, participants lent their support to the vision of transforming Taiwan into a "green value-added island," which calls for a focus on environmental protection in addition to the development of human resources and business environment. They also recommended developing an atmosphere conducive to raising children so as to address Taiwan's declining birth rate, transforming Taiwan into a regional hub for business fund-raising and asset management, and increasing the efficiency with which disputes surrounding special public construction projects are resolved.
In respect to cross-strait trade relations, the conference called for a strengthening of risk-management mechanisms, giving permission to enter Taiwan to PRC nationals pursuing legitimate business activities, urging the governments of both sides to set up a financial supervisory system, and gradually implementing direct cross-strait flights following government-to-government negotiations. China-bound investments involving technology transfers should also be approved if such transfers do not jeopardize the island's technological advantage, do not involve core technologies or do involve technologies already developed by China, participants concurred.
At the conference's closing ceremony, Premier Su Tseng-chang vowed that, within one month, the Cabinet would propose measures aimed at carrying out the conference's conclusions and propose relevant bills for deliberation by lawmakers during the next legislative session. In response, Legislative Yuan President Wang Jyn-ping said he would work with all political parties to push through such laws.
Su also urged the Cabinet to build a barrier-free investment environment under the principles of prosperity, justice and sustainability, thereby achieving President Chen Shui-bian's goal of "investing in Taiwan first" to expand Taiwan-bound investment.
The conference was proposed by Chen last November and was the second such meeting to be held within the last five years. A total of 175 government officials, legislators and representatives from local business and academic circles participated, with many more having contributed their ideas to the four preparatory meetings, one pre-conference meeting, two senior advisors meetings, 44 panel meetings and 46 symposiums held between May 15 and July 27.
The conference's conclusions were subdivided into those agreed upon by all participants, designated "consensual opinions," and those strongly but not unanimously supported, listed as "other opinions." Together these will serve as references for future policymaking.
In his opening speech to the conference on July 27, Chen touted the economic conference as an ambitious and forward-looking meeting whose focus was by no means limited to discussions on cross-strait trade and economic relations, as some media organizations had reported. In fact, Chen noted that four daunting tasks faced the conference: increasing investment in Taiwan, creating employment opportunities, closing the development gap between urban and rural areas and reducing the divide between rich and poor.
A breakdown of the 516 conclusions shows that 107 are related to social security topics, 148 to business competitiveness, 119 to fiscal and financial reform, 84 to government efficiency and only 58 to global deployment and cross-strait economic and trade relations.
Remote Hualien
County a mecca for organic food, small-town life
As the largest and the least populated county in Taiwan, Hualien is known for its natural beauty, which has largely been spared the scars of industrialization because of its remote location on the eastern side of the Central Mountain Range.
Not surprisingly, much of the county's economic activity has to do with farming, with one quarter of the population employed in agriculture, making the most of the area's relatively unpolluted water and soil. Unlike other farming counties, the adverse effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have not yet made themselves felt, and some Hualien farmers are reaping the rewards of their recent foray into organic farming.
The county had been feeling the heat from rising imports of produce from abroad, including rice from Australia and fruits from Japan and South Korea, so in 2004, County Magistrate Hsieh Shen-san launched the Innocuous Agriculture Development in Hualien program. The purpose, said Hsieh, was to "pass the good land on to our children for future generations, increase the per capita income of local farmers and provide a new direction for them by combining agricultural activities with the leisure industry, thus generating even greater revenue."
The initial response from the farming community was less than favorable: Farmers were unfamiliar with methods of organic farming and reticent about giving up old techniques, including the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The director of the county's Agriculture Bureau and one of the driving forces behind IADH implementation, Du Li-hwa, recruited 30 demonstration farmers from around the county to try out the organic farming techniques for the first year. In the meantime, Du also realized the importance of coming up with a way to effectively market the produce.
Farmers in Hualien lacked the funding and skills required to establish brand images and reach out to the public in sophisticated marketing campaigns. Du therefore began cooperating with four major farmers associations to set up logistics centers in Hualien City and the towns of Shoufong, Guangfu, Fongbin and Fuli. With these centers certifying IADH produce, the Agriculture Bureau took on the responsibility of operating publicity campaigns to promote its sale around the island.
Together, the Agriculture Bureau and farmers associations managed to forge a national sales and distribution network. By the end of 2005, the number of demonstration farms participating in the IADH program rose from 30 to 164, and this year, Du expects that number to reach 200.
Like many technical terms, "innocuous agriculture" may sound odd to the uninitiated. It was coined by the government of Hualien County to describe its unique form of organic farming, since existing terms such as organic farming, biological farming and ecological farming each have their own established definitions and connotations. In addition to encompassing farming, fishery and livestock, the term includes the operation of leisure farms. Visitors to such leisure farms are offered food, lodging and tours, benefiting not only local farmers but other nearby businesses and bringing in the much-needed tourist dollar.
Chen Wei-liang runs a two-hectare lotus farm located roughly 80 kilometers south of Hualien City, in the town of Shoufong. Next to his farm, Chen built a 10-room bed and breakfast and a restaurant he dubbed Fu-li Fishing Village, which caters to visitors from the big city eager to spend a few days in the rural countryside of eastern Taiwan.
"Can you imagine that those silly Taipei people pay me US$50 just to stay overnight in my B&B and watch the frogs in my field?" Chen laughed. Never one to rest on his laurels, his current business undertaking is to market his own brand of organic lotus tea, which he claims makes people healthier.
Chen's success story is not an anomaly. Lee Ja-fong, who grows organic vegetables in Shoufong, was the very first farmer selected by the Agriculture Bureau through a series of strict tests on the soil and water in his 2.5 hectares of land. He has spent more than US$200,000 on equipment and greenhouses that help keep bugs and worms away from his precious crops. Although these measures are effective against most species, they were not enough to deter Taiwan's plentiful and tenacious cutworms.
"My family and I spent many summer nights working with shovels until midnight to rid our plants of those worms, since they only come out at night," Lee recalled. "It was not at all rosy in the beginning. Worse, the two typhoons that hit last year blew away my greenhouses, and it cost me a great deal to rebuild." Despite these difficulties, rebuild he did, and his tenacity eventually paid off. His operation is back at full capacity, and demand is high. "Nowadays, I can't produce enough to meet the demand from the Shoufong Farmers' Association," Lee beamed.
Convincing farmers to try the new approaches was not an easy task, but Wun Siu-chun's success with them has helped others to appreciate their value. Wun is a rice farmer who started raising ducks in his rice field in lieu of using chemical fertilizers or pesticides. His ducks eat the weeds, snails and worms, and their excrement becomes a natural fertilizer.
The procedure employed by Wun is called the aigamo method. It was first developed in 1989 by a farmer in the Fukuoka Prefecture of Japan named Takao Furuno. Wun has found that using the aigamo method in conjunction with the application of an organic fertilizer purchased from his local farmers association pays off handsomely.
"Now, except for a few villagers who refuse to join us, almost every household in Lousan is participating," he pointed out. Last year, Fuli Rice passed 127 strict tests required by the Japanese government and is now being exported to Japan for the first time since the 1940s.