At the beginning of January, at least five groups of cabinet officials set out to various parts of the world, visiting countries with which Taiwan does and does not have official relations. South East Asia was the most common destination where the recent economic turmoil and regional cooperation were obviously the main topics of discussion.

On the first day of the year, Vice President Lien Chan headed to Singapore on a four day "unofficial private visit." Also in January, Foreign Minister Jason Hu, who has been at his post for just over three months, led a group to Africa; Premier Vincent Siew made a whirlwind tour of the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia from January 22~24; and Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) head P.K. Chiang led the SE Asia Investment and Trade Fact-Finding Mission (SEAFFM) to the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

On this visit to Singapore, Vice President Lien Chan received the sort of warm welcome given to state visitors. He dined and played golf with Senior Minister Lee Kwan-yew, Premier Goh Chok Tong and President Ong Teng Cheong. Singapore is a long-time friend of the ROC's and Lee Kwan-yew is on good terms with leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. This is why the 1993 Koo-Wang Talks were held in Singapore, where Lee played an instrumental role.

On the vice president's visit to Singapore, he exchanged views with Singaporean leaders on cross-straits relations. Responding to a reporter's question on his return to Taiwan, the vice president said that Singapore basically agrees with the ROC's position that negotiations between Taiwan and mainland China must be based upon current reality and that when new talks begin, there cannot be any preconditions. He emphasized that the ROC has always been an independent nation and therefore there is no need to advocate Taiwan's independence. He further stated that the mainland's current conditions are such that the time has not yet arrived to negotiate reunification. Regarding Singapore's future role in cross-strait relations, the vice president feels that it is not necessary to have a third party act as a bridge between the two sides.

Largely unbowed by the recent wave of economic turmoil, Taiwan and Singapore discussed how to deal with the crisis and provide support to other SE Asian nations. The vice president stated that both sides feel that this is a time to consider investments and purchases in the region. He pointed out that, in fact, Singaporean investment in Vietnam has now outstripped that of Taiwan, taking over the number one spot, and that its economic might was not to be overlooked.

In traveling to the Philippines and Indonesia Premier Siew wanted to discuss how to best face the economic turmoil in the region and what role Taiwan might play in bringing about a resolution to the crisis. In the Philippines, Premier Siew met with CEPD head P.K. Chiang, assistant director of the Central Bank of China and member of the SEAFFM C.J. Liang, head of the Koo Group Jeffery Koo, and Chinese National Industry Association chairman Kao Chin-yen and visited with Mitsuo Sato of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to discuss how to return stability to SE Asia's financial sector. Premier Siew said that the ADB gives Taiwan extremely high marks for its economic development and that the ADB was willing to push for Taiwan to be a part of regional financial organizations so that it might help to deal with the regional financial crisis.

Not long after returning from the Philippines, Premier Siew set out again on January 20, leading David Lee, head of the Government Information Office, and Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Chien-jen on a trip to Indonesia. There they heard the results of the SEAFFM's fact-finding mission. Indonesia has been hard hit by the regional financial crisis, and at the time of their visit, its currency had already fallen to 10,000:1 against the US dollar. Premier Siew met with business groups and high-ranking economics and trade officials including the minister for national development and planning, Ginanjar Kartasasmita, to discuss economic and trade cooperation to help Indonesia weather this storm.

P.K. Chiang, who led the fact finding mission to Thailand and Malaysia, says that both countries put forward proposals for cooperation. Thailand hoped that Taiwan would raise the ceiling on Thai workers in Taiwan from 30,000, while Malaysia is considering allowing banks from Taiwan to set up more branches.

Over consecutive days, high-level officials traveled abroad to express their concern over the regional financial crisis, which caused a surge in discussion of the government's "Go South" investment policy, which promotes investment in SE Asia. Liu Tai-ying, head of the China Development Corporation, thinks that this is an ideal time for the government's southward investment policy. Having been hit by this financial crisis, SE Asian businesses are available at bargain prices and Taiwan's firms should be considering takeovers. Stone Shih, former head of the China Productivity Center, also feels that now is a good time for businesses to think about going south, but recommends that firms make judgments for themselves.

All of these overseas visits by officials have been related to the SE Asian crisis. Even First Lady Tseng Wen-hui's mid-January invitation to go to Japan to attend the christening of a Far Eastern group ship was assumed to have implications for the whole region's financial situation. On the other hand, when President Lee Teng-hui toured Central America, the government encouraged investment in the region. Now the "Go South" policy seems to be prioritizing investment in SE Asia, raising some doubts about the government's intentions. Jason Hu said that the "Good Neighbor Policy" is aimed at aiding the nations of ASEAN. Its principle is one of mutual aid and its promotion needn't be rejected as investments in both regions have great potential to spark development. Speaking of the focus of future foreign relations, he says that they will first be directed at countries with whom Taiwan has formal ties. The secondary focus will be "pragmatic diplomacy" and the active pursuit of participation in international organizations. After these will be special areas which will be dealt with in special manners.

In one interview Hu also mentioned that in order to avoid interference from the mainland, official trips abroad will remain a closely guarded secret. He lamented that if he were given three months in which the media would not report in advance on official trips abroad, foreign affairs work would get high marks. But Hu emphasized that the point of the recent trip by the Premier to the Philippines and Indonesia was economic cooperation. Taiwan is intimately tied to SE Asia. As Taiwan has invested a great deal and trades heavily with the region, it can't isolate itself from the region's financial crisis.

At a press conference on his return from Indonesia, Premier Siew emphasized that Taiwan is an important part of the Asia-Pacific region. As such, it hopes that the region's economic growth will continue. This trip was made in the knowledge that "we are all in the same boat." Instability in SE Asia will affect Taiwan. Taiwan is a member of the East Asian community and must exist and prosper with that community. Taiwan's economic might and its experience in weathering this current financial storm are things to be shared with its neighbors. Such sharing benefits Taiwan as it benefits other nations. It should not be measured in terms of how it benefits foreign policy.

Siew elaborated further, saying that the government is considering establishing a SE Asian economic research institute as a resource for Taiwan firms going southward with their investment. P.K. Chiang, who returned to Taiwan with Premier Siew, said that Taiwan has already asked experts from APEC to present lectures in Taiwan on how to set up guarantees that will allow capital to flow back into Asia.