Costa Rica breaks relations with Taiwan

Politics Taiwan Politics
1

Don’t know if this surprises anyone here or not.

[quote]Costa Rica breaks relations with Taiwan
By MARIANELA JIMENEZ, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 21 minutes ago

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - President Oscar Arias announced Wednesday that Costa Rica has broken diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established relations with China, delivering a blow to Asian island’s fragile international standing.
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Arias said Costa Rica needed to strengthen ties with China to attract foreign investment.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister James Huang quickly offered to resign to take responsibility for Costa Rica’s switch, which left the Taiwan with relations with just two dozen nations.

Since splitting amid civil war in 1949, Taiwan and China have fought to win the diplomatic allegiance of countries around the world. China refuses to have diplomatic ties with nations that recognize Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province it plans to eventually unify with the mainland.

“We are looking to strengthen the commercial ties and attract investment,” Arias said. “China is the most successful emerging economy in the world and soon it will be the second strongest economy in the world after the United States.”

Central America in particular has been a bulwark of support for Taiwan, and Taiwan had expressed fears that if Costa Rica were to shift its recognition to Beijing, other nations such as Nicaragua and Panama could soon follow suit.

China spends heavily to induce nations to change diplomatic allegiances, offering investment, loans and other incentives.

Arias said China is the Central American nation’s No. 1 trading partner, buying more than $1 billion worth of Costa Rican exports last year.

“Taiwan has been very generous and I thank it for the solidarity and co-operation it has shown for nearly 60 years, but I have taken this decision thinking of all the Costa Ricans,” Arias said.

The change is just one more strike against Taiwan in its campaign for international legitimacy. Its high water mark came in the late 1960s when it had full relations with 67 countries, including the United States and much of western Europe. But within a decade, the U.S. pulled it embassy out of the Taiwanese capital. And today, just 24 states recognize Taiwan.

The United States, Japan, Great Britain and dozens of others maintain quasi-official ties with Taiwan — part of a diplomatic sleight of hand to honor Beijing’s condition that full diplomatic recognition be accorded to only one of the rivals.

However, Beijing resents even the quasi-official ties. Its main concern is the United States, which remains Taiwan’s most important foreign connection, providing it weapons to defend itself against a possible Chinese attack.

At a press briefing shortly after Costa Rica’s announcement, Huang, Taiwan’s foreign minister, offered to resign.

“I went to President Chen (Shui-bian) … and asked to resign to take political responsibility,” Huang told reporters.

Huang did not say if his offer was accepted.

Taiwan has been concerned about a deterioration of its relations with Costa Rica since May 14, when the Latin American country voted at an international health conference against holding a discussion on proposed Taiwanese membership in the
World Health Organization.

On May 25, Huang met with officials from Costa Rica and four other Latin American countries in Belize City in an effort to shore up Taiwan’s diplomatic standing in the region.

Arias declined to comment on whether his decision could encourage other Central American nations to transfer their allegiance from Taipei to Beijing.

“I won’t speculate on the consequences of this decision in the rest of Central American because I made it thinking about Costa Rica,” he said.

Salvadoran President Tony Saca said Wednesday that his nation was interested in establishing relations with China but did not want to sever ties with Taiwan.

“Taiwan is an independent country that has won its space and we will going maintaining relations with Taiwan. If China accepts this we will open relations with pleasure,” Saca said
Yahoo.AP[/quote]

2

I blame the DPP.

3

1 down…24 to go…

4

Congratulations ac. For once you’ve hit the nail on the head. :wink:
There really can’t be much doubt that this administration’s complete ineptitude is beautifully summed up in its ahem “foreign policy.” :laughing:

5

Sandy -
This really is bad news for the island. I expect Nicaragua and Panama to follow soon.

And Yes, I put the blame squarely on the astonishing ineptitude of the persons posing as “Diplomats” in this gov’t.

6

I’m going to have to step out here and defend the DPP on this one.

I disagree, since I for one don’t know what else Taiwan could do to maintain her allies. Their foreign minister, president, or vice president is flying over on an annual basis… splashing a tremendous amount of attention on a region of the world that most others treat as an after-thought. No one tells me these things, but I’m guessing big checks are being written to every one of these nations.

I think this was just inevitable. Costa Rica isn’t a banana republic; it’s a successful democracy with a sizable population and economy. Sizable enough that no amount of donation given to individual politicians could overwhelm the advantages associated with establishing diplomatic ties with Beijing.

7

I like it how officials here offer to resign every time they make a fuck-up.

Looking at the poor state of English on this island, I was wondering why the Ministry of Education officals are not following suit? :stuck_out_tongue:

8

Since we all agree that these 20 some odd allies are basically won over based on dollar diplomacy. The fundamental problem is that the ROC needs to increase its tax revenue to compete with the PRC with these nations. Unfortunately, the DPP is unwilling to move forward on the 3 links so dramatic increase to tax revenues is not on the horizon.

Obviously, dollar diplomacy is no longer sustainable.

I still hold as my core and unwaivering belief that the KMT could have done better, not to mention my shameless finger pointing, it is the DPP fault.

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[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Sandy -
This really is bad news for the island. I expect Nicaragua and Panama to follow soon.

And Yes, I put the blame squarely on the astonishing ineptitude of the persons posing as “Diplomats” in this gov’t.[/quote]

What exactly did they do (or didn’t do) that justifies the previous comments that they were the cause for a diplomatic switch?

CCTang beat me to make the point, how much was it costing not to form diplomatic ties with China, a number Im sure China makes sure increases and makes a diplomatic shift seem attactive.

What should the “ineptitude of the persons posing as “Diplomats” in this gov’t” have done in your opinion, that would have prevented a diplomatic switch ?

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What can the DPP do, sandy? It’s not the DPP’s fault that the KMT named Taiwan “the Republic of China” and that neither China nor its minions in on the island will grow up.

I’m hoping that all our “allies” give up over time. The current policy of payola for relations is ridiculous. Once we have no allies, the DPP might be open to some of the more durable and interesting proposals out there, like turning the island into a free trade zone/quasi-state that anyone can have relations with, no questions asked. Bring in trade and investment from anywhere, anytime, including the PRC. Grow the economy, change the insular culture, face the world rather than try and hold it at arms length.

On the other hand, in some areas the DPP’s foreign policy has been a resounding success, Sandy. Let’s not forget, 20 years ago “Taiwan” as a separate entity didn’t exist. Now the idea of “Taiwan” is slowly becoming institutionalized in academic and social practice. All those “Taiwan studies” departments are evidence of long-term success. They will change minds over the long term.

Some aspects of Taiwan’s foreign policy are inevitable failures, but others have been pretty good successes. And remember also, that MOFA is filled with pro-China mainlanders who dislike the DPP and the idea of Taiwan, complicating the nation’s efforts to carry out diplomacy.

So cheer up. It’s not all bad news. Accept the inevitable, work for change, laugh at the servants of the Dark Side, and lift a beer to all of our possible futures here.

Michael

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Wonder if they’ll turn the “Taiwan-Costa Rica Friendship Bridge” into a toll bridge now?

Puente de la Amistad Costa Rica-Taiwan

12

Vorkosigan,

Once we don’t have any States the recognize ROC sovereignty, neither ROC nor Taiwan will exist in terms of international relationship.

Are you hoping to become the one eye king in the land of the blind?

Because I guess once the island becomes like backwater and poor like Laos, the status of foreigers might go up a notch. But then the PRC will just offer the ROC an economic package it can’t refuse, and that’s game over.

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My two cents on this issue,

This decision has nothing to do with Taiwan and mostly to do with current Costa Rica’s situation. That country is not what it used to be anymore. It has fallen behind in health and economy, not to mention that its infraestructure has all but collapsed, and all this has happened because of corruption. Nevertheless, they still have the nerve to accusse Taiwan of being the main conspirator in “money diplomacy” even though these same issues -or worse- have surfaced with donations and loans from Finland, Spain, and many other developed countries.
President Arias, IMHO, is building his international image, and his personal business links with China were the decisive step in this matter. Costa Rica was offered a seat in the Security Council THIS year, but they refused it, saying they wanted to concentrate on getting it in 2008. I am worried about why 2008 is so important to them.
If you think Arias is campaigning “transparency”, then have a look at the way he got to be president: by sidestepping the Constitution. Ask about how he got more real estate by putting social benefit land under his name (still under investigation). Ask the Israeli about his moving the embassy. Ask the rest of Central America how his government has neglected regional relationships. So much for the Nobel Peace Prize.
About Taiwan and the DPP’s role, I just have to say that they were not the first ones to employ “money diplomacy”, only the first ones caught in the act (or rather, somebody squealed). Funny, a year after they signed a deal to control donations under a strict “check and balances” record, then Costa Rica breaks ties. So, who is playing along with the music as long as nobody knows where the money goes?
The truth is allies come and go according to their own agendas or internal political shifts. Taiwan should definetively revamp/renew its diplomatic relations, but for that the island would have to get really picky, and that would be painful.
As to Costa Rica, I am sorry for them. Birds of a feather flock together.

14

Icon -
Very good points all. The troubles that have surfaced re:Arias might well be contributing to this severance of diplomacy.
However the inexperience and lack of guidance by the Taiwan side cannot be overlooked.
Dual PRC & ROC relations is what should be sold.
Taiwan just doesn’t have the class of ‘salesmen/woman’ in their Diplo corps to make and close these deals.

IMO, this is a seperate issue from the p*ss-poor bunch of clowns in the Yuan we see having food fights and girlie slap fests.

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[quote]Costa Rica breaks relations with Taiwan
[/quote]

Wow…the first of the seven Central American countries to do so. This is sure to start a domino effect there.

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[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Icon -
Very good points all. The troubles that have surfaced re:Arias might well be contributing to this severance of diplomacy.
However the inexperience and lack of guidance by the Taiwan side cannot be overlooked.
Dual PRC & ROC relations is what should be sold.
Taiwan just doesn’t have the class of ‘salesmen/woman’ in their Diplo corps to make and close these deals.

IMO, this is a separate issue from the p*ss-poor bunch of clowns in the Yuan we see having food fights and girlie slap fests.[/quote]

Wouldn’t that require the PRC allowing for dual PRC & ROC relations? Which they don’t. How can you sell something which you are unable to deliver ?

17

Does the PRC control the 3rd country?

This is pushing the point of a country including Taiwan as well as the PRC in their diplomatic recognition. Not an easy sell granted. But its an “inclusive” one that needs to be sold.
Facts are facts and the PRC is not going to go away. At some point in time Taiwan, and the PRC, has to recognize that there is more benefit to both parties to allow mutual recognition with 3rd countries.
This is where the diplomatic wizardry has to come into play. Who are the world-class negotiators working for Taiwan? Anytime this has been mentioned its pooh-poohed by hard-liner KMT/DPP encrusted local nabobs.
But this has to become a reality for Taiwan to continue. IMO.

18

Maybe not. Costa Rica prides itself in going its way and NOT even cooperating in Central American deals. The other countries already know CR will be going its way alone.
Unless they need an excuse, but even then.

Well, if they are major investors in media and land, maybe…

Remember who prepared them, who selected them, and what is the common mentality (regain the Mainland).

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[quote=“TainanCowboy”] Facts are facts and the PRC is not going to go away. At some point in time Taiwan, and the PRC, has to recognize that there is more benefit to both parties to allow mutual recognition with 3rd countries.
This is where the diplomatic wizardry has to come into play. Who are the world-class negotiators working for Taiwan? [/quote]

A GREAT rational and practical approach to resolve impasses. If there are further takers, let’s get the project initiated.

–

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Hypothetically, if Taiwan is annexed by China wouldn’t the MOFA guys lose their jobs? They can’t conduct foreign affairs under the “one china two systems” framework right?