ROC Severs Ties with Macedonia

The ROC and Macedonia established diplomatic ties on January 27, 1999. Macedonia became one of only two countries in Europe (the other is the Vatican) to recognize Taiwan, and 28 in the world. Thus it would be hard to exaggerate the importance of this development to Taiwan.

Troubled ties

Commenting on the rupture, President Chen Shui-bian said the relationship was "problematic from the start, and went downhill from there." Beset by problems every step of the way, the relationship was never even fully formalized. Now that it has ended, people in Taiwan have actually expressed relief to see things settled once and for all.

Located on the Balkan Peninsula, Macedonia used to be part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After the collapse of communism most Yugoslav republics opted for independence. Macedonia, with a population of just 2 million, seceded in 1991. With a largely rural economy, Macedonia has been hit hard by the incessant Balkan warfare of recent years, and badly needs foreign aid.

After diplomatic relations were established in 1999, the ROC government came under fire for reportedly promising Macedonia US$300 million in foreign aid. Critics accused it of "checkbook" or "sugar daddy" diplomacy. Throughout the next two-and-a-half years, ROC ambassador Peter Cheng was never able to present his credentials to the Macedonian government due to divisions of opinion within the latter, and when then-premier Vincent Siew paid a state visit to Macedonia he was not able to meet with the president, a visible sign of tenuous ties.

Beijing horns in

The PRC is reported to be the main cause of the diplomatic rupture. Macedonia has been beset in recent years by both internal and external threats. Fighting connected with the separatist movement in neighboring Kosovo has generated a mass exodus of refugees into Macedonia, while the Macedonian government has been unable to quell a domestic rebellion by ethnic Albanians. UN peacekeepers are badly needed, but China, displeased by Macedonia's recognition of Taiwan, has used its veto in the Security Council to block the dispatch of troops. After a coalition government was formed in mid-May, pro-Beijing forces gained the upper hand in Macedonia, eventually leading to the end of official ties with Taiwan.

Before the final break occurred, in May Tien Hung-mao broke away from President Chen's tour of Latin American allies to make an emergency trip to Macedonia, in a final attempt to save the shaky relationship.

Just before the severing of relations, the MOFA released a list of economic aid extended to Macedonia over the preceding two-and-a-half years. It included 11 major items totaling more than US$140 million. The largest were a US$60 million dollar commercial loan by the International Commercial Bank of China and a US$29 million Balkans reconstruction project. Taiwan has also provided roughly US$10 million each for the following: support for ten major public works projects; an export processing zone; and a cooperative development fund.

The MOFA further stated that a break in diplomatic relations would bring all bilateral cooperation projects to a halt, and urged Macedonia to consider the matter very carefully.

But international politics are driven by practical considerations. On June 17, Macedonian foreign minister Ilinka Mitreva traveled to Beijing to talk with PRC foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan about a diplomatic switch. Once it was clear that the situation was beyond hope, the ROC government acted to preserve Taiwan's dignity by severing ties with Macedonia before the latter signed a communique with Beijing.

A different kind of diplomacy

After the break, Tien Hung-mao stated that in considering the establishment of new diplomatic ties in the future, the government will have to carefully weigh several factors: Is the country in question politically stable? Do Taiwan's supporters within the government wield sufficient clout? How great is the country's geostrategic importance? What sort of price is Taiwan expected to pay in return for diplomatic recognition?

With the ending of ties with Macedonia, one can almost hear the drumbeat signaling a new round of cross-strait diplomatic skirmishing. The Vatican has been sending positive signals to Beijing in recent years, and it is actually the PRC, due to religious issues, that has been reluctant to re-establish formal ties. But if the Vatican were to switch recognition to Beijing, would it set off a domino effect in Catholic Latin America, where many of Taiwan's most important diplomatic partners are located? The situation is also problematic in Africa, another major diplomatic base for Taiwan. Domestic turbulence is rife in Liberia and other countries that maintain formal ties with Taiwan, and see-saw struggles between opposing camps pose a big threat to our diplomatic relations.

It is said that diplomacy is the extension of national power. Some experts suggest that instead of going head-to-head with China, whose international influence is on the rise, and making a big deal of how many countries grant Taiwan official recognition, it would be a better idea to rely on cultural diplomacy, which is indirect and unofficial. For example, the government could provide financial support to help filmmakers, artists, and persons engaged in science and technology achieve a higher profile in the international community. These are areas where Taiwan excels. Or Taiwan could fund students from third-world countries to study and train in Taiwan. The government could even put diplomatic issues on the agenda for future cross-strait negotiations, to seek a win-win co-existence for both sides in the international community.

If recent events spur our government to embark on a more productive diplomatic course, it could well turn out that the break with Macedonia was not so much a setback as a turning point.

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The ROC announced on June 18 that it was severing diplomatic ties with Macedonia. Pictured here is the disheartening sight of an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs removing the Macedonian flag from the row of flags representing Taiwan's diplomatic partners.

(photo by Lu Tien-mu)