Taiwan and the U.K. may be separated by oceans and thousands of kilometers, but the shared values of their governments and peoples easily span this divide. Both countries are beacons of democracy, staunch advocates of free market capitalism and strong supporters of building societies where innovation and creativity flourish for the betterment of all.
For Shen Lyu-shun, new ROC representative to the U.K., devising effective ways to strengthen relations between Taipei and London has been at the forefront of his mind since taking office in December 2011. Renowned for a straightforward approach and ability to get tough jobs done with a minimum of fuss, Taiwan’s former deputy minister of foreign affairs relishes the challenge of making his mark in Britain and advancing the work of his predecessor and current ROC representative to Australia, Chang Siao-yue.
“Representative Chang did a very good job and I must thank her for setting a solid foundation,” Shen said during an exclusive interview with Taiwan Today in London. “She laid out such good basic conditions that my job now is to work out how we can further promote and benefit from them.”
Sporting a navy blazer, lilac striped shirt, purple tie, dark grey trousers and antique brown elastic-sided leather boots, the self-described “unconventional representative” is a picture of sartorial splendor befitting his third-generation diplomatic roots. One great uncle served as ROC ambassador to Brazil, the Congo, Iran and Japan, while another held the same position in Niger and Rwanda.
With over 20 years experience in the U.S. and Europe as a congressional liaison and ROC representative to the EU and Belgium, Shen knows what he is talking about when stating that his first task is to let the British people know of the latest developments in the Taiwan Strait area.
“We must explain in the clearest terms what Taiwan’s engagement with mainland China means. It is important everyone understands the kind of business opportunities available now that the ECFA [Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement] is in place.”
Since ROC President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May 2008, his cross-strait policies have ushered in a new era of relations between Taipei and Beijing, Shen said. While the ECFA is the centerpiece of this progress, it is just one of 16 major agreements, including aviation and shipping pacts, which have helped transform Taiwan into an invaluable base for accessing the mainland Chinese market, he added.
“There are up to 561 direct flights per week between Taiwan and 41 mainland Chinese cities. In addition, our vessels can visit 16 ports on the Yangtze River and in 52 other parts of mainland China. Who else can boast such access?”
Shen feels it is critical Britain understands how the situation in Taiwan is very different nowadays. “We are more than just a singular market; we are now the best gateway for British business interests in East Asia inclusive of mainland China,” he said.
This approach, which is in line with Ma’s push to reposition Taiwan on the international stage as a peacemaker instead of a troublemaker, is bringing real benefits to the people of Taiwan, mainland China and the rest of the world, according to the representative.
“This is not propaganda,” he said. “We are trying to deliver on this goal by utilizing our soft power assets in a variety of fields spanning humanitarian aid and cultural exchanges, and as a creator of business opportunities and high-tech devices.”
The proof of the pudding is best illustrated by Taiwan’s growing reputation as a major donor of international aid, Shen said, especially when it comes to the ROC’s 23 diplomatic allies, 10 of which are members of the Commonwealth.
Belize, The Gambia, Nauru, Kiribati, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu are all partners in Taiwan assistance programs fostering sustainable development through agriculture, education and renewable energy projects. For many of these nations, the ROC government is the largest single source of external assistance, a fact the representative wants to bring to Britain’s attention.
“We need to let the British people know that Taiwan is no longer a tiny, dinky, remote island producing cheap products,” he said. “We are a major player in East Asia and can be an excellent partner for the U.K. in carrying out development programs in countries where we have convergent interests.”
If Taiwan and the U.K. can team up on such projects, Shen sees the relationship as producing a win-win-win outcome that will help expand the former’s international space. “There is no reason why we should not seize this opportunity to put our bilateral relationship within a multinational framework.”
Another arrow in his quiver when it comes to working with the U.K. is the Taiwan Academy. As one of the most ardent supporters and practitioners of the concept, Shen believes it is an effective way to address the question of how to expand Taiwan’s international space, an obstacle that has been the bane of the ROC government’s existence since walking out of the U.N. in October 1971.
Unveiled by Ma during his 2008 presidential election campaign, the academy falls under the auspices of the Council for Cultural Affairs. The CCA opened branches last year in Houston, Los Angeles and New York, and is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Shen’s Taipei Representative Office in the U.K. to partner with Nottingham University, Oxford University and the University of London, to name just a few.
“The concept is significant as it enables efforts promoting Chinese culture with Taiwan characteristics and the study of Mandarin with traditional characters to go to the next level,” Shen said. “We have 177 contact points in 55 countries and are constantly seeking to increase these numbers.”
But equally important, the representative said, is that the academy is complemented by a digital Taiwan studies and Sinology database created by leading institutions such as Academia Sinica and the National Science Council. Citing diplomatic archives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei as an example, Shen said there are 180,000 volumes of documents from the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) offering unique insights on modern Chinese history.
“If you really want to understand the modern history of China and how it was shaped, then there is no choice but to study the original documents and engage—Taiwan is the only option.”
The academy also offers scholarships to encourage involvement in Taiwan and Sinology studies, as well as research on Chinese languages. The representative considers this an important part of the concept as it sows the seed of grassroots academic interest in Taiwan and modern Chinese history.
While some may view the academy as a response to mainland China’s aggressive drive to corner the Chinese studies market through its Confucius Institutes, the representative is quick to pour cold water on this notion.
“We want the world to know about our history, as well as share the vast treasure trove of Chinese literature written in traditional characters,” he said. “Expanding access to these academic assets helps boost Taiwan’s standing as an international hub of learning excellence as more people around the world strive to study traditional Chinese culture in the 21st century.”
For Shen, managing Taiwan-U.K. ties is a labor intensive process with no short cuts. Although not expecting results overnight, he is convinced his commitment to liaising with government officials, business leaders, nongovernmental representatives and other decision-makers will pay dividends, further boosting Taiwan’s interests in the long run.
“I will explore all possibilities and strive to do something significant that respects and builds on Taiwan and Britain’s historical ties,” he said. “I am very hopeful of making this a productive posting and doing what it takes to help the people here put our relationship in perspective.”
Write to John Scott Marchant at js_marchant@mail.gio.gov.tw