Reckless New Southward Policy: Don’t Just Think about Quick Harvests

 Reckless New Southward Policy: Don’t Just Think about Quick Harvests

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

September 20, 2017

 Translation of an Excerpt

Cambodian Chinese-language media outlet Sin Chew Daily carried a news story days ago, saying that Cambodian opposition "National Rescue Party" joined hands with Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party "radical elements" in an attempt to overthrow the Hun Sen regime. Once the news story came out, everyone in Taiwan business circles in Cambodia felt a crisis, so much so that the Taiwan Commercial Association in Cambodia published statements for three consecutive days in the local media, in order to clear themselves and for self-defense. DPP legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱), in charge of the Association for Parliamentary Exchanges, had originally booked a flight to visit Cambodia last week, but because of this turn of events, cancelled the trip at the last moment.

"Interfering in other countries’ domestic politics" is a serious diplomatic taboo; moreover, Cambodia is a country that has been under the single-handed rule of strongman leader Hun Sen for thirty-two years, with permeating chilling atmospherics in the political situation, which cannot be ignored. The DPP has been accused of "colluding" with the opposition party in Cambodia; if this incident is viewed in the framework of the Tsai government’s New Southward Policy, it has, in fact, an even greater warning effect. The diplomatic strategy of a country fundamentally must be deployed with caution and prudence, as well as sophisticated management; long-term sowing and tilling is needed so that the gradual return becomes possible. However, since the DPP came to power, because of the deadlock in cross-Strait relations, the government has been eager to push forward the New Southward Policy; in both mentality and approach, it has shown hastiness, even opportunism, wishfully hoping for an opportunity to achieve overnight success in “one fell swoop.” Also because of this, diplomatic operations could not avoid recklessness, or adopting unusual means, thus violating diplomatic taboos, eliciting dissatisfaction from the local government. Earlier this year, Hun Sen specifically proclaimed that it would ban the display of ROC flags by Taiwan businesses in Cambodia, explicating its "one China principle" and its policy of "separation of politics and economics"; in reality, it was a warning signal to the DPP government.

Among the countries covered by our New Southward Policy, their political situations and economic-social development show different degrees; if DPP political figures use a set of high-sounding approaches with fanfare and relocate there, it would be naïve to think that we could achieve instant effect and reap the fruits of harvest. In the end, it would be inevitable that we would hit a diplomatic brick wall, and even become embroiled in domestic disputes in other countries, losing both prestige and substance. The incident in Cambodia is enough to serve as a mirror for the New Southward policy.

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