June 5th, 2018 -- THE NEWS THAT the Dominican Republic has become the latest Caribbean country to abandon diplomatic relations with ROC (Taiwan) to align themselves with mainland China (PRC) should give cause for concern among Caribbean countries as they ask themselves what really steers their foreign policy.
Once our foreign policy was guided by a system of values that had to include Communism vs Democracy; Human rights; Freedom of Religion; and of course, the approval of our ally and World Leader, the United States of America. Cuba was supposedly ostracised on these grounds. But now some islands in the Caribbean see fit to shamelessly abandon democratic Taiwan and reach out to align themselves with this larger-than-life, ignorer-of-human-rights, communistic dictatorial-Tibetan-nightmare.
It is believed that the erratic foreign policy of US President Donald Trump will further hasten the abandonment of values among nations that are mostly opportunistic, and have little interest in moulding a generation or building a strong nation. ‘My word is no longer my bond’; allies are no longer consulted or supported, and internal aggrandisement appears to be the only criterion. Dollar diplomacy, also known as ‘cheque-book’ diplomacy is now tantamount in any new diplomatic alignment. With the absence of any system of values it is not surprising that charges of corruption among political leaders have become regular news items. One is left to wonder whether these foreign policy reversals come with ‘facility’ payments.
For 77 years, the Dominican Republic has enjoyed the support of successive governments of a democratic Taiwan. Significant projects included increasing rice production, enabling them to become an exporter of rice; building a successful Cyber Park now seen as the Silicon Valley of the Caribbean; building an Emergency Response Centre to improve law and order thus boosting Tourism; and building a Care Centre for disadvantaged children.
Now whenever Taiwan is thanked for their support here in St. Kitts and Nevis, they do not hesitate to say that the support is mutual. They are also grateful to acknowledge our support of them at meetings of international bodies like WHA and the UN General Assembly.
How does mainland China justify their steady expansion into Latin America and the Caribbean? It can only be for the same reasons that it has never recognised Taiwan – to ensure that it remains a power bully. China is also eager to replace the US as the leading World Power and its steady expansion into Africa, South America and the Caribbean is also confirming this.
The Caribbean needs to tread very cautiously as it is promised these mega projects. It is reported that a package of some 3.1 billion dollars was promised to the Dominican Republic. One does not know how much Dominica was promised that caused their abandonment of Taiwan.
But are these promises of largesse always kept? We have learnt so far that China has failed to deliver on a pledge of US $1 billion in assistance to Costa Rica to build a refinery and 400 million to construct highways when it established relations in 2007. Also promises of $140 million in aid to San Tome and Principe are yet to be fulfilled since 2016.
Rex Tillerson observed when he was US Secretary of State, “China encourages dependency using opaque contracts, predatory loan practices and corrupt deals that could mire nations in debt and undercut their sovereignty.”
Caribbean governments are advised to tread cautiously and remember the warnings of their grandmothers and elders. “All that glitters is not gold”.
Indeed, President Tsai Ing-wen is calling on mainland China to “set aside the baggage of history” and work with Taipei to develop “a new direction and new approaches” to sharing of responsibility for the safety and security of the skies across the waterway that has for six decades divided and unified the tiny island and the giant mainland.
Needless to say, these warnings did not go down well in the region’s capitals – among other things because they were not joined by any countervailing offers to propel U.S.-Latin American trade flows. If anything, the reverse may be true, as those countries that do have trade agreements with the U.S. (including Chile, Peru and members of the CAFTA-DR agreement) are bracing for a tough renegotiation of these pacts once North American Free Trade Agreement is restructured.
Thus the recent moves by Panama and the D.R, and perhaps Haiti and Paraguay in the not-too-distant future. Few governments in the hemisphere want to be stuck with the dubious distinction of having been the last to recognize the PRC.
Another possibility is that this would be done by newly appointed National Security Advisor John Bolton. A noted China hawk, Bolton opined in the Wall Street Journal last year that it was high time to revisit the One China policy by increasing military sales to Taiwan and establishing a U.S. military presence there.
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