Relations between the Republic of China and West Germany have seen advances and improvements in a number of areas in recent years.

The name change is one of them. We were originally called the Far East Information Agency. People couldn't figure it out, and they used to come to us with questions about Japan and Nepal. We couldn't handle them all, and it was a lot of trouble for the Germans, too. We recently mentioned that we wanted to change our name, and after explaining the reasons, we had it changed to the Taipei Cultural and Economic Office without any problems.

The second advance in bilateral relations has been in visas. The Federal Republic of Germany has two offices in Taiwan: one is called the German Cultural Center and the other the German Trade Office. Both of them can issue visas to R.O.C. citizens directly now, without having to go through Hong Kong, which saves a lot of time and trouble.

Third, there has been a big increase in visits by private groups between the two countries. We had a youth group, a folk arts group and a puppet troupe, for instance, come over here last year, and they recently sent us the Bonn Ballet Company. As for academic exchange, there are teaching exchange programs between the Free University of Berlin and National Yang Ming Medical College and between Ruhr University and National Central University, as well as more than 700 R.O.C. students in Germany and more than 400 German students in Taiwan.

Trade has advanced the most rapidly of all, from US$2.4 billion in 1986 to US$5.2 billion in 1989, a more than two-fold increase. But as sizeable as that figure may be, it still makes up just one percent of our total trade and less than one percent of their foreign trade. We both have very strong economies, and there is still a lot of room for work.

Reporting by the media is much better than it used to be. When I first came here I hated to see news about Taiwan, because they only reported natural and human disasters. Now we get a fairer shake from both the television and the press.

Our own efforts are very important in achieving these changes. I hope the political situation in Taiwan will settle down quickly after President Lee forms a new government, because all the ruckus and fuss just gives people a negative impression.

Another important political development was the formation of a Taipei coalition in the national legislature here last year by legislators that have visited Taiwan or sympathize with our standpoint. There are 71 members in all, or one-seventh of the entire legislature. They come from all the major parties, and a number of them also hold posts in the government. The coalition has helped us a lot, in ways that I'm not at liberty to discuss. They can see people that we can't.

There is another group here that is firmly behind us, called the German-Chinese Association, which is headed by the chairman of the foreign affairs section of the Christian Social Union.

According to general European practice, lacking diplomatic ties, we can't fly our flag outside or use our official name. But sometimes, like on Double Tenth, we simply have to fly the flag--so what then? We ask the German-Chinese Association to do it for us. They can fly our flag and use the name Republic of China without any bother, because the prohibition is aimed at foreigners. For locals, it just depends on whether the group is related to the government.

I was an official ambassador in other places before and enjoyed a lot of perks and privileges, but doing diplomatic work in a place where we lack diplomatic relations is another sensation altogether. Even though there aren't any diplomatic privileges, the work still has to be done--the difference is you don't have any norms to go by. In places where you have diplomatic relations, it's all set out clearly in international law what you can and can't do: as long as you act accordingly, there's nothing wrong. But carrying out diplomatic work without diplomatic status in places where we lack diplomatic relations is something of a new occupation.

Why do I say that? In the past, we could do whatever we wanted in countries we had relations with and we couldn't do anything in those we didn't. The countries we didn't have relations with then were pretty insignificant and we really didn't have to have anything to do with them at all. If we didn't have official diplomatic relations with them, then we didn't have any kind of exchanges with them, economic, cultural or otherwise.

We're in a very special situation now. We don't have diplomatic relations with many countries, but people can't ignore us. We have a very strong economy and considerable cultural resources--some aspects of traditional Chinese culture you probably have to go to Taiwan to find, because they've been wrecked on the mainland. So even though we may not have formal diplomatic relations with them, people still want to have dealings with us in many areas outside of politics-- economics, culture, athletics, and the arts--and since that's the case, we'll go ahead and do it.

It's a road you have to open up on your own, where you can really show what you're made of. If you wanted to be lazy about it, you could say that you couldn't do anything because we don't have diplomatic relations. But it's precisely because we don't have diplomatic relations that you have to try to get things done. I've accumulated quite a lot of experiences in this area over the years, and maybe they can serve as a reference for people who come after me.

They should add a new chapter to international law in the future and call it "How to carry out diplomacy without diplomatic privileges"!

East and West Germany are talking about reunification now, and many people ask me if Taiwan can't imitate West Germany.

Well, the conditions in place for East and West Germany are not quite the same as for us. The reason that they were separated and the manner in which they are separated are different from us--West Germany can accept everyone who comes to it from the other side without turning anyone down, but how could we? But there is one thing we can imitate and improve on, and that is getting our message across.

In this respect, West Germany is also in a more favorable position than we are. Almost everyone in East Germany can receive West German television and radio, and they knew that life in the west was much better for years. Finally, they asked their government, why do they have such a good life and we have to stand in line like this, when all of us are Germans? They protested every day, and the government backed down and transferred power peacefully instead of firing on them.

We used to do a little in this area too, but it wasn't enough, and only the coast of the mainland can hear our radio now. As for printed materials, the educational level in East and West Germany is about the same, while the mainland still has many illiterates, which is another obstacle. Be that as it may, an effect is still gradually appearing. People in the Tienanmen demonstrations last year asked the same question as the East Germans: We're all Chinese, so why is life on Taiwan so much better than ours?

So as long as we keep at it and keep asking these questions day after day, something even bigger than Tienanmen may occur. We hope that when it does, it can be resolved peacefully, that the mainland regime understands that it either has to reform or step down. These are some of the things we can learn from looking at Germany today, I think.

[Picture Caption]

Having served as ambassador several times in the past, Sampson C. Shen faces a new experience engaging in diplomatic work in a country with which we have no formal diplomatic ties.

Among the various areas of bilateral relations, economics and trade have advanced the most rapidly. More than 200 firms from Taiwan look part in this year's Hanover computer show, forming the second largest contingent next to that of the U.S.

The reunification of East and West Germany is fast approaching, and the Berlin Wall has become a popular tourist attraction. Visitors are busy taking pictures there, and vendors are selling pieces of wall made into ornaments and decorations. The admirable gentleman at left has even hung out a poster of himself working away with a power drill to prove that the pieces he sells are genuine.

Travel between east and west is quick and convenient. These visitors lined up to board a ferry to the east only need to flash a West German passport to get through. Some of them wave to long-separated relatives from the shore.

Among the various areas of bilateral relations, economics and trade have advanced the most rapidly. More than 200 firms from Taiwan look part in this year's Hanover computer show, forming the second largest contingent next to that of the U.S.

Among the various areas of bilateral relations, economics and trade have advanced the most rapidly. More than 200 firms from Taiwan look part in this year's Hanover computer show, forming the second largest contingent next to that of the U.S.

The reunification of East and West Germany is fast approaching, and the Berlin Wall has become a popular tourist attraction. Visitors are busy taking pictures there, and vendors are selling pieces of wall made into ornaments and decorations. The admirable gentleman at left has even hung out a poster of himself working away with a power drill to prove that the pieces he sells are genuine.

Travel between east and west is quick and convenient. These visitors lined up to board a ferry to the east only need to flash a West German passport to get through. Some of them wave to long-separated relatives from the shore.