In mid-August Taiwan "vice-president" Annette Lu paid a stealthy visit to Indonesia where she was snubbed. The Indonesian Government immediately re-affirmed its support of the one-China policy and its view that Taiwan is an integral part of China.

On the same day that Lu left Indonesia, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry announced its ban on a "Taiwan Film week" that was scheduled to be held from August 19 to 21 in Bandung.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) unveiled on August 19 an ambitious programme for numerous overseas visits by its officials in their capacity as members of the party.

On August 26, Chen Shui-bian sent officials to visit the disturbance-stricken Central American countries of Honduras and El Salvador.

Chang Chun-hsiung, general-secretary of the DPP, said that the DPP hoped to establish an affiliation with the Liberal International - a worldwide federation of liberal parties - in September, thus paving the way for the DPP's "party diplomacy" and providing more chances for visits to countries without diplomatic ties with Taiwan by Chen Shui-bian and other party officials.

The recent moves taken by Taiwan leaders seem to be a clear signal that separatists have accelerated their scheme for Taiwan independence.

"Obviously, a series of diplomatic initiatives taken by Chen and Lu and their followers clearly indicate that Taiwan independence forces launched a 'diplomatic offensive' against the Chinese mainland after Nauru - a West Pacific island country - announced its decision early last month to shift its diplomatic relations from Taiwan island to the mainland," said Zhang Lili, a professor with the Beijing-Based Foreign Affairs College.

"In essence, there is not much difference between the DPP's 'party diplomacy' and Taiwan authorities' long-held 'pragmatic diplomacy,' with both of them being aimed at creating 'international space' for Taiwan," said Zhang.

Taiwan authorities have made unceasing efforts to carry out "pragmatic diplomacy" in various forms, ranging from "transition diplomacy," "money diplomacy," "holiday diplomacy," to "travel diplomacy."

Given the island's comparatively close economic connections with Southeast Asian countries, Taiwan authorities have taken this region this time as their "diplomatic breakthrough point" beyond the United States.

Such a diplomacy, though with different name tags, is to seek support from the international community and reduce Taiwan's "dependence" on the mainland economically.

The past decade has witnessed increasing economic links between the mainland and the island due to the enormous commercial opportunities the booming mainland can provide for the latter's investors.

According to an article the China News Service carried on August 22, the value of Taiwan's investment on the mainland reached US$19.4 billion during the first seven months of this year, nearly 20 per cent higher than the figures for the same period last year.

The island's economic development has benefited from the mainland's enormous market and cheap labor force.

Fearing the island's excessive economic involvement in the mainland, which is believed to draw the two sides close, the former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui put forward the 'south-bound' policy as early as 10 years ago, calling for shifting the island's investment from the mainland to the Southeast Asian region.

Lee's tactics have been carried forward by his successor Chen Shui-bian.

Although attempted twice, in 1994 and 1997, the "south-bound" policy ended in failure.

To the frustration of the policy's initiators, the island's funds have not been attracted on a large scale into regions beyond the mainland.

Over the first seven months of this year, the value of the island's investment in other areas dropped to US$18.2 billion, a decrease of one-third from that for the same period of the previous year.

"In a sense, Lu's Indonesia trip was a probe for Chen Shui-bian's 'go-south' policy," said Zhang.

In the era of economic globalization, political motivation cannot decide where investors should place their money.

Under the pretext of exploring development space for the Taiwan economy, the trumpeters of the "go-south" policy, in essence, want to sever economic links between the island and the mainland, and finally bring to fruition an "independent Taiwan."

However, there is by no means an "international space" for Taiwan independence. And activities with such an end will only fuel tension across the Taiwan Straits.

"An overwhelming majority of countries and international organizations hold to the one-China policy, and agree that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, thus leaving no margin for Taiwan independence," said Guo Zhenyuan, a researcher with the China Institute of International Studies.

"The past facts prove that 'international survival space' long pursued by Chen Shui-bian and his predecessor Lee Teng-hui is not the space for Taiwan's economic and cultural development, because Taiwan has all along enjoyed this kind of space and the mainland has never been opposed to this," Guo said. "What they are really trying to pursue is the space for Taiwan independence."

Ignoring the interests of investors, Taiwan authorities' "go-south" policy has also caused dissatisfaction on the island.

"Basically, 'pragmatic diplomacy' and diplomacy of other forms are all Taiwan authorities' political manoeuvres, and are detrimental to the welfare of people in Taiwan," Guo said.

(China Daily September 3, 2002)