20101018 Ma’s ‘truce’ looks like a diplomatic surrender

Ma’s ‘truce’ looks like a diplomatic surrender

By Hung Mao-hsiung 洪茂雄

Ever since taking office, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has thought that the “diplomatic truce” he has promoted with China has helped relieve hostilities in cross-strait relations. Practice is indispensable when it comes to testing the truth, so let us look at exactly what the government has achieved since it put the diplomatic truce into play two years ago.

Is the diplomatic truce really what Ma says it is, a way of creating a “flexible diplomacy” to allow Taiwan more international space? Or is it just empty talk, a sign of wishful thinking that has only hurt Taiwan? Has it made us lose our fighting spirit, dismantled the psychological preparedness required on the diplomatic battlefield, made us make concession after concession and give up our sovereignty, thus shaming ourselves as a nation? I believe that with the few following examples, the answers to these questions will be very clear.

First, according to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s Web site, during the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party, more than 60 joint communiques were signed with the leaders of allied nations. The Ma administration has only signed two communiques.

Signing joint communiques with countries that we maintain friendly relations with is a symbolic exercise of national sovereignty and a way of assessing and measuring the effectiveness of Ma’s “flexible diplomacy.” In this regard, Ma’s diplomatic truce has been a total failure and a national embarrassment. It has hurt Taiwan’s diplomatic interests instead of helping them.

Second, under the diplomatic truce, Taiwan’s status as a nation has been trampled upon by China. As soon as the Chinese authorities see a flag or anything else that represents Taiwan at an international event, they respond strongly and in an unreasonable manner as they do everything they can to make sure these items are removed. For example, China put pressure on Vietnam when Taiwan’s representative office in Ho Chi Minh City held a party to celebrate Double Ten National Day, saying the words “National Day” could not be used. There have also been numerous other examples of other Taiwanese civic groups being stopped by China when they have tried to take part in international activities. This all makes it seem as if the diplomatic truce actually provides China with the perfect opportunity to attack and insult Taiwan.

Third, what is really hard to understand is the way in which our government keeps belittling Taiwan’s status in academic, cultural, economic and sporting events here at home. For example, the government does not dare display the word “national” in terms like “national university” or the “National Museum of Taiwanese Literature.”

In addition, Taiwan’s national flag and national anthem seem to disappear into thin air whenever a representative of China shows up. Very few countries have shown a willingness to participate in the Taipei International Flora Expo, which is supposed to be international in nature.

These all show how the China-leaning government led by Ma is being contained everywhere by China — even within Taiwan.

Hung Mao-hsiung is an adviser to the Taiwan International Studies Association.