FOREIGN MINISTER JAMES HUANG PROMOTES MORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 000960 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2031 TAGS: PGOV PREL TW SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER JAMES HUANG PROMOTES MORE SUBSTANTIVE, LESS SYMBOLIC TAIWAN FOREIGN POLICY Classified By: AIT Deputy Director David J. Keegan, Reasons: 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Foreign Minister James Huang, who took office January 25, told DDIR that he intends to promote a substantive foreign policy that emphasizes developing a broad range of ties with key regions and countries. This new policy will be a departure from the current heavy focus on trying to preserve a certain number of diplomatic recognitions for symbolic and political purposes. At present, he noted, officers in Taiwan representative offices in Europe and elsewhere spend too much time working on symbolic issues that relate to their country's "one China" policies. Huang said he had recently held a meeting of MFA department heads to ask them to prepare recommendations on how to pursue his new initiative in their respective regions. ¶2. (C) Huang provided some examples of his new thinking on foreign policy. Noting that Taiwan's financial officials are regularly welcomed at high levels in European and other countries, Huang said he hopes to make greater use of such officials from various agencies in developing Taiwan's relations with other countries. Taiwan can also do much more on the cultural front, he said, noting that some Taiwan performers have received very warm welcomes in European countries. In addition, Huang continued, Taiwan should make use of its common Austronesian background with populations in the Pacific Islands, for example Fiji, noting that he intends to appoint a Taiwan aborigine as an ambassador at large in order to work on this front in the region. Taiwan is working to coordinate with Australia in providing foreign assistance to the Solomon Islands, Huang said, adding that he expects the assistance provided by Taiwan to be well monitored because the finance minister of the Solomons is appointed by Australia. Huang also stressed that Taiwan will step up its work with international nongovernmental organizations. ¶3. (C) Huang noted that Liu Shih-chung, formerly a speech writer for President Chen, had recently transferred from the Presidential Office (where he worked closely with then Presidential Office Deputy Secretary General Huang) to become Vice Chairman of the MFA Research and Planning Board. He said that his first assignment for Liu is to head an inspection team to visit Taiwan's offices in Europe, adding that this experience will help Liu learn how Taiwan's foreign policy bureaucracy operates. Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) Much of Taiwan's foreign policy has focused on diplomatic guerrilla warfare with the PRC over diplomatic recognitions by small countries and other symbolic causes. FM Huang said he realizes this is a losing approach over the long term because of the PRC's rising economic and political influence. Having come out of the junior ranks of the Foreign Ministry, Huang understands the problem firsthand and should make a positive contribution to adjusting Taiwan's foreign policy strategy. Nonetheless, as he acknowledged, diplomatic recognitions, presidential travel, the nomenclature Taiwan is able to use abroad, and other symbolic issues will continue to be important because they play a significant role in Taiwan domestic party politics. YOUNG