Homecoming envoy King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) made his Legislative Yuan debut on Wednesday, taking questions and briefing a packed room on the future of Taiwan-U.S. relations.
King’s report misses the mark, said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) at a separate venue in Legislature.
“I was left with strong impression after reading King’s report: It is different from the reports of past administrations,” said Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), who himself had served a year as Taiwan ambassador to the U.S. under Chen Shui-bian.
“We cannot identify his concrete goals for Taiwan-U.S. relations,” he said.
Wu questioned King’s claims that Taiwan-U.S. relations are at “their best in 30 years,” suggesting that if this were the case it should follow that King’s Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) has an ambitious diplomatic program for upcoming years. “But what are the goals? We can’t tell,”Wu said.
Wu is the DPP’s newly appointed representative to a party office set to launch in Washington in 2013.
DPP’s Goals
Wu’s goals for Taiwan-U.S. relations include bolstering the defense budget and strengthening political and economic cooperation with the U.S.
Taiwan’s ties with the U.S. ties have loosened as Taiwan grows closer with mainland China. In 2008, Taiwan-U.S. trade volume accounted for 11.54 percent and has since dropped to today’s 10.04 percent, according to Wu.
“There once were U.S. Congressmen who very much supported Taiwan, but who have turned away due to President Ma Ying-jeou’s handling of economic issues,” he said.
On the Diaoyutais and South China Seas sovereignty issues, King should state clearly that Taiwan stands with the U.S., said DPP Caucus Whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) yesterday.
Some U.S. officials have recently expressed confusion and discontent over Taiwan’s position in the sovereignty disputes, in the belief that Taiwan aligns itself with China against Japan, according to Ker.
Participation
The DPP also called on President Ma Ying-jeou to present a less partisan face to the U.S. during diplomatic interactions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) deliberately prevents opposition parties from participating in Taiwan’s foreign diplomacy, according to Wu.
When former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman visited Taiwan this year, MOFA made no arrangements for the guest to visit the opposition parties, or for DPP members to visit Huntsman. After being informed of the itinerary’ s omission, Huntsman had to personally request a stop at the DPP’s Taipei headquarters, he said.
“In King’s report to Legislature, he said that foreign diplomacy is nonpartisan … That’s very good,” said Wu. “But we hope that MOFA does not say one thing and do another.”