New Spirit in South Pacific Cooperation

By Chen Yeong-cho

In March, Republic of China (Taiwan) President Ma Ying-jeou paid state visits to the nation's six South Pacific diplomatic partners ― the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, the Solomon Islands and Palau.

In each nation, he underscored Taiwan's determination to more effectively contribute to the well-being of their peoples by redirecting resources that previously have been wasted on counterproductive competition between Taiwan and mainland China in the diplomatic arena.

In pursuit of that goal, since assuming office in May 2008, President Ma has advocated a ``diplomatic truce'' between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and implemented a policy of ``flexible diplomacy'' aimed at obviating needless friction.

Under his leadership, the ROC government has also been working hard to improve cross-strait relations, while restoring mutual trust and encouraging fruitful interaction between the ROC and countries with which it has no formal diplomatic ties.

Articulating the ROC's foreign aid philosophy, the president emphasized that the ROC will pursue only legitimate goals, follow only lawful procedures and place importance only on achieving concrete results.

In an interview with the Solomon Islands' leading newspaper, the Solomon Star, he stressed that the ROC will not use its assistance resources for improper purposes.

President Ma's visits highlighted projects designed with each nation's particular needs in mind, embodying the principle of ``effective cooperation for sustainable development'' and focusing on six areas of practical significance ― medical care, fishery conservation, vocational training, agricultural development, green energy and cultural exchange.

― ROC medical teams will provide augmented services to its South Pacific friends, President Ma stated in the Marshall Islands. While there, he took the opportunity to meet with islanders whose eyesight had recently been restored thanks to cataract operations performed by ophthalmologists from Taiwan.

― In Kiribati, the president unveiled a plan to establish a fishery incubation center there to replenish dwindling South Pacific fishery stocks.

― In the near future, the president announced in Tuvalu, the ROC will help establish programs there to provide citizens of its partner countries with training in fishery monitoring, seamanship and other job skills.

― In Nauru, President Ma announced that Taiwan's technical missions would assist in carrying out a ``3-6-0'' agricultural development program to address food security and health issues. Its goal is to enable each country, within three years, to produce six types of foodstuffs in quantities that will enable them to achieve zero dependence on food imports.

― Taiwan will steadily increase assistance to its South Pacific partners for development of solar power, the president pledged in the Solomon Islands. In connection with his visit there, an ROC technical team had installed a solar power system at the nation's Office of the Prime Minister.

― In conjunction with the president's visit to Palau, an exhibition featuring the cultures of Taiwan's indigenous peoples was held, highlighting the ROC's hopes of promoting a broad variety of cultural and youth group exchanges, with particular attention to the linguistic, artistic and other aspects of the Austronesian heritage common to Taiwan and its South Pacific neighbors.

Further, President Ma expressed Taiwan's commitment to do its part in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions, particularly in view of rising ocean levels that threaten the very existence of island nations as the consequence of global warming.

During his trip, President Ma reiterated his confidence that not only Taiwan's South Pacific friends but the international community as a whole will be the beneficiaries of cross-strait conciliation.

Chen Yeong-cho is representative of Taipei Mission in Korea.