Formosa Foundation

Formosa Foundation Co-Sponsors Foreign Relations Forum in Taipei

On May 22, 2007, the Formosa Foundation joined the Taiwan Thinktank to host a foreign relations forum in Taipei entitled “Diplomatic Corner: U.S.-Taiwan Relations, Retrospect and Prospect.” The purpose of the forum was to discuss the “one-China” policy and Taiwan’s standing in the international community. Speakers included Bruce Herschensohn, Former Deputy Special Assistant to President Richard Nixon and a Distinguished Fellow at Pepperdine University; Michael Warder, Vice Chancellor at Pepperdine University; Chih-Cheng Lo, Chair of the Department of Political Science at Soochow University; and Li-Pei Wu, Formosa Foundation founder. 

At this event, both Herschensohn and Li-Pei Wu emphasized the need for a more constructive American role in reducing the tensions across the Taiwan Strait. They stressed that as the Taiwanese and Chinese economies become more entangled, the political relationship between the two will only become more complicated.

Herschensohn and Wu criticized the “one-China” policy as both vague and inherently faulty. Having lacked the participation of the people of Taiwan, the policy cannot be considered legitimate. In fact, the PRC has never governed Taiwan. To a majority of Taiwanese citizens, China and Taiwan are two distinct entities, each with its own distinct national identity.

Herschensohn describes the “one-China” policy propagated by China, and uncertainly endorsed by the U.S. government, “as a policy of fear.” Li-Pei Wu asserts that the current policy has been instrumental in excluding the Taiwanese from becoming “constructive members of the global village.” Taiwan’s absence from international organizations like the United Nations prevents it from sharing its progress in “democratic politics, economic development, international commerce, social reforms, environmental protection, and health care” with the rest of the world.

According to Herschensohn, who recently published Taiwan: The Threatened Democracy, Taiwan faces four main threats to its continuing democracy. 1) China’s military and economic ascendance. This threat is embodied in the 900 missiles aimed at Taiwan. 2) The “one-China” myth prevalent in the international community. This myth refers to the ambiguousness of a policy that overlooks Taiwan and its citizens. 3) Business leaders whose economic power is buttressed by Chinese support. Taiwanese merchants have developed close ties with the Chinese government and oppose independence for fear of losing their businesses. However, these same Taiwanese merchants have prospered under the laws of the Taiwanese government and depend on the Taiwanese government, and not the PRC, to protect their business interests. 4) The KMT whose political power is buttressed by Chinese support. The KMT serves as a threat to Taiwan in its complicity with the Chinese government, substantiated by KMT chairman Lien Chan’s visit to Beijing following the passage of the Anti-Secession Law.

Li-Pei Wu argues that without U.S. support, the principles of democracy, free markets, and human rights will be severely compromised. He urges the United States to “fully recognize” Taiwan as an independent nation and grant complete diplomatic relations with both China and Taiwan. This new “Full Recognition” policy would replace the ambiguous and inconsistent “one-China” policy, and be instrumental in laying the foundation for peace across the Taiwan Strait.