Tsai Gov’t Must Abandon its Diplomatic Tactics Used While in Opposition

   Tsai Gov’t Must Abandon its Diplomatic Tactics Used While in Opposition

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)

May 10, 2017

 Translation of an Except

It is regrettable that our country has not received an invitation from the World Health Assembly (WHA) this year, but it was also something expected. Last year's WHA invitation came very late; it arrived in the countdown of the Ma government’s remaining days in office, signaling an early warning to the Tsai government. However, we see only retrogression, not a bit of progress, in cross-Strait relations during the past year; thus it was no surprise that the invitation had not appeared. The question is the same hardened tactics repeated themselves; the Tsai government endlessly used people’s sense of frustration as a source of consolation. Is this truly the way for our diplomatic survival?

Something relatively special this year is that President Tsai adopted US President Trump's mode of making statements, continually "tweeting" ten short messages, calling upon the international community not to exclude Taiwan outside. Although this elicited some media attention, its main effect was still for "domestic consumption," so as to provide our countrymen with a rallying call for indignation and self-pity, at best. Despite the fact that there were statements supporting Taiwan’s participation in the WHA in the United States and Canada, the US manifestation was only a statement of courtesy from AIT Chairman James F. Moriarty, while Canadian support came only from statements of individual ruling party MPs. Neither produced any practical effects.

Tsai Ying-wen's obstinacy or hard-line stance in cross-Strait relations came principally from a set of confrontational ideas erected when she was in the opposition. After being elected, although this set of strategic modes has exposed her predicament everywhere, she has, on the other hand, resolutely refused to undertake any revisions or adjustments. Rather than saying that she has a consistent perseverance, it would be better to say she lacks pragmatic thinking for necessary changes and accommodations. Further, the WHA is but a tiny link in cross-Strait relations; if things get deadlocked here today, then tomorrow we will encounter obstacles in the Interpol Assembly, the APEC annual meeting and other occasions. For this reason, unless the Tsai government makes fundamental adjustments in its strategy for dealing with cross-Strait relations, the setbacks in its ability to take part in international activities will be repeated one after another, and the Taiwan public's frustrations will also be stirred up wave after wave. To tell the truth, for the powers that be to hold dear its thinking as a party in opposition and use it for diplomacy is an error in strategy. And for the government to use people’s frustrations to cover up its own diplomatic failures is a pitiful option. Not to mention, in diplomacy, wanting to knock open the gate leading to international organizations by throwing stones is, we are afraid, a wish difficult to fulfill in the end.

It is predestined to accomplish hardly anything if the powers that be adopt the mentality of a party in opposition to handle the affairs of state, because not only does it go against national interests, moreover it often sacrifices the people’s welfare. This problem, in fact, does not only appear in diplomacy. To be absent from the WHA once, in reality, is no big deal; however, our diplomacy, industry and people's livelihood, under the endless impacts in frozen cross-Strait relations, are issues that President Tsai must try to resolve.

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