Ruling party legislators had tough questions for Premier Lin Chuan at the legislature on Monday about why the foreign ministry is planning to reduce the number of overseas representative offices.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Wei-cher questioned the rationale for the plans at a time when Taiwan is facing setbacks in the international community.
The recent setbacks have involved China blocking Taiwan’s participation in a number of high-profile forums. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) did not allow Taiwan delegates to participate this year, while the UNFCCC (or United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) is not allowing Taiwan to set up a booth or participate in side events at the upcoming COP22 (the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties).
China opposes Taiwan’s involvement in international organizations, saying that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory, even though the two sides have been ruled separately for nearly 70 years.
Lin responded to concerns about a planned reduction in overseas representative offices, saying it was a bid to make more effective use of resources, not to “tighten diplomacy”
Lin said that the previous administration’s policy of a “diplomatic truce” with China was “an illusion”, making people believe that the diplomatic crisis had disappeared. He said that it was more realistic for Taiwan to rely on itself when seeking to participate in the international community.
“Suppose we participate in an international organization today as a result of a charitable act on the part of China or another country, that’s an illusion. We want to rely on our own strengths to gradually win these opportunities. It’s a difficult path and we may have setbacks, but I believe it’s more realistic," said Lin.