Diplomat in the Vanguard: Commemorating Yang Hsi-kun

Africa was the main theater of operations for Yang Hsi-kun’s diplomatic endeavors, and for a time it was a hotspot for our country’s foreign relations work. Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y.L. Lin points out that Africa was one of the main battlegrounds in the 1960s between the ROC and the mainland Chinese regime in the struggle to represent “China” at the United Nations.

Yang’s relationship with Africa began when he was a senior officer of the ROC delegation to the United Nations and served as a mission member for the UN Trusteeship Council. Because of his intimate understanding of trust territories on the continent, he came to be known as “Mr. Africa.”

When he was later posted to the West Asian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yang was a moving force behind the “Vanguard Project” of technical assistance in agriculture. Starting with the first mission to Liberia, Taiwan’s agricultural aid teams spread to all corners of the continent, harvesting not only food but also goodwill and stronger diplomatic relationships.

An especially critical moment in Yang’s career came in December of 1978, when the United States announced that it was breaking off formal diplomatic ties with the ROC and would instead recognize Beijing. Yang was specifically selected by then-president ­Chiang ­Ching-kuo to represent Taiwan in talks with Washington over future bilateral relations. In April of 1979 the US Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act, creating a firm and positive foundation for continuing the relationship between the two nations.

In September of 1979 Yang was named as ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, and the relationship between the two sides reached an unprecedented level of closeness. Looking back on the career of this storied diplomat and his performance in times of crisis, and seeing the images of his frequent travels to Africa, visitors to the exhibition invariably left with a deep sense of respect and admiration for this important figure.

The man may be gone, but his dedication to service remains as an example to others. Shown here are the medals awarded to Yang Hsi-kun (1910–2000) in recognition of his contributions to the ROC’s foreign relations.