Taiwan Today

"Islands like Taiwan flourish in an open economy and wither in a closed one," President Ma Ying-jeou said earlier in the year. As the Republic of China (ROC) continues the process of opening up to the world, it does so with a new approach toward international affairs. It is said that politics is the art of the possible and with the government's new approach, which it has dubbed "flexible diplomacy," what is possible for the ROC in terms of international affairs has suddenly expanded. Of course, the ROC's international relations often hinge on its relationship with mainland China. In particular, the matters of international space and formal diplomatic relations are ongoing concerns for Taipei. However, previous efforts have fallen short of enlarging the ROC's international space. Insisting on the name "Taiwan" in international groupings has not helped the ROC's involvement in multilateral institutions and has led to a kind of diplomatic deadlock. Past bids for full membership in the United Nations have failed, as did two referenda earlier in the year on the issue. The people of the ROC want to find a workable way to participate in the international community, but based on these recent experiences, the government has had to reassess the best way forward for the nation in international affairs. In short, the government's new approach refocuses the ROC's international affairs on what the nation can do, rather than what, for now, it cannot. The current "flexible" approach seeks to build up practical exchanges starting with economic and transportation ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. By doing so, both sides are able to dial back the hardline rhetoric that has characterized official pronouncements and raised the temperature across the strait for more than a decade. As President Ma has put it, "Flexible diplomacy does not require us to be at loggerheads with the mainland in each and every international encounter." Underlying the new approach is the idea that cross-strait relations need not be a zero sum game. With mainland China, and beyond that with nations around the world, the ROC can collaborate on matters of mutual interest in a way to foster mutual benefits. In fact, improved relations with mainland China and a broader focus on economic and development issues were central to the president's election campaign earlier this year. His win signified a mandate for change that departs from the rigidity of past approaches to a more flexible view of foreign affairs. As a global economic and technological powerhouse, the ROC certainly deserves a place at the table of world affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposes being flexible on titles of membership so as to enable "meaningful participation" in global bodies such as the UN and the International Monetary Fund. By sidestepping squabbles over nomenclature or specific protocols, the ROC may move closer to significant involvement with the international community. As we look to the future possibilities for our island home, we should remember that the people support pragmatism. The government must act in those areas where it can, so that the ROC can contribute more to the international community, and flexible working methods will help that goal. We hope that mainland China can understand the aspirations of the 23 million people of Taiwan to participate in the world community as well as UN specialized agencies in a meaningful way. If mainland China were able to adjust its attitude to Taiwan and show good will and flexibility for its part, the result would most certainly be to the benefit of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.