Testing One-China policy

Testing One-China policy

Indonesia's decision to reject the planned visit by Taiwan
President Chen Shu-bian last week at the last minute was an
embarrassing episode for the government, but it would have been
far more embarrassing, and possibly even disastrous for
Indonesia, if the visit had been allowed to go ahead.

It is simply too difficult to predict how a politically and
economically mighty Beijing would have responded to a visit by
Taiwan's top leaders to Indonesia. But it was not worth the risk.
Wisely, the government of Indonesia did not want to take any
chances, and foiled the visit 24 hours before it was due to
proceed.

The government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
must have had some clear idea about how angry Beijing would have
been. China made its point clear about four months ago when
Taiwan Vice President Annette Lu came to Indonesia. Although she
came here as a "tourist", and made her entry through Bali,
Beijing would have none of this, and made a strong protest,
demanding that Jakarta adhere to its "One-China" policy.

The geopolitical situation today has drastically changed from
what it was, say, four or six years ago, when Indonesia could
entertain top Taiwan government officials "vacationing" in the
country and still convince Beijing of its consistency in its
policy of recognizing Beijing as the sole representative of
China.

In 1998, Taiwan Prime Minister Vincent Siew visited Jakarta in
his "personal capacity" and met with president Soeharto. In 1996,
Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui spent his holiday in Bali at the
same time that his Indonesian counterpart was visiting the
island. These visits prompted Beijing to protest, but Indonesia
managed to deal with these and repaired the damage quickly.

That was then. This is now.

Today, Beijing has far greater clout in the conduct of its
foreign policy, commensurate with its growing economic power. No
country in the world can ignore or offend China, including
receiving top Taiwan leaders, and hope to get away with it. There
will be reprisals, politically as well as economically.

Taiwan has succeeded in flexing its economic clout to secure
support from the international community. An economically
powerful Beijing can do the same, and far more effectively.

Although Indonesia's economic ties with Beijing today are
nowhere as close as its relations with Taiwan, it would be
foolish for Indonesia to simply ignore them.

There are already early dividends from the economic ties with
Beijing: Indonesia has won a multibillion dollar contract to
supply liquefied natural gas, China has pledged to give $400
million in semi-concessionaire loans to Indonesia and China will
open its vast market to members of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) through a free-trade agreement in 2010.
Inexpensive Chinese manufacturing products are flooding our
markets and Chinese companies are starting to invest in the
country.

This is not to belittle the economic importance of Taiwan to
Indonesia. Taiwan politicians, in calling for economic reprisals
against Jakarta after last week's abrupt cancellation of
President Chen's visit, rightly pointed out that Taiwan was a
major source of foreign investment in Indonesia, and also a major
destination for Indonesian workers.

But it seems totally unfair for Taiwan to continue using its
economic clout to test the loyalty of its friends like Indonesia,
especially at a time like this when our country has been going
from one crisis to another. It is unfair because the question of
one China is really for the people of China, both on the mainland
and on Taiwan, and for them alone to resolve. They should not
impose their problem on their friends.

Indonesia's position, like most of the rest of the world, on
this issue has been clear and consistent. We have continued to
adhere to the One-China policy. That has not changed, not even
when Indonesia severed diplomatic ties with Beijing between 1965
and 1990, and it is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.

The task at hand now is for both countries to repair the
damage caused by last week's episode.

The existing strong economic bonds between Indonesia and
Taiwan are beneficial to both countries, and there is no reason
why they cannot continue, even as Indonesia is fostering economic
relations with China. After all, Taiwan companies too are hopping
on the bandwagon to invest in China.

Without formal diplomatic ties, Indonesia-Taiwan relations
have expanded to include even pop culture, which brings young
people in the two countries together. The concert of Taiwan's F-4
pop idols in Jakarta next month, and the growing popularity of
Taiwan's TV soap operas, are cases in point.

There is too much at stake for both Indonesia and Taiwan to
allow relations to turn sour simply because of a few bruised
egos.