editorial

A bilateral free trade treaty between Panama and Taiwan is before the Legislative Assembly.

The government in Taipei has published the text of the document, but President Moscoso, counting on the deplorable negligence and laziness that has characterized our legislature since well before her time, has delayed its publication here. It’s just one more insult to the intelligence of other branches of government, to the press and to the general public that she presumes that decisions should be made by reference to the title and general subject matter of a proposal without reference to its details. However, thanks to Taiwan the document is available in Spanish, English and Chinese to anyone with access to a computer can read a PDF file, so there is no good excuse for any legislator to cast an uninformed vote on the treaty.

Meanwhile, and once again, there are voices from across this country’s political spectrum calling for a review of our China policy. Most of those calling for a review want Panama to end its formal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) and establish full ties with the People’s Republic of China (China). Others are calling for an investigation about where funds from various Taiwanese aid programs have gone, as there is a suspicion that corrupt Panamanian politicians have appropriated some of the money for themselves.

Yes, because there is a division of public opinion, this country’s foreign policy with respect to Taiwan and China should be reviewed and openly debated. Yes, the Panama-Taiwan free trade pact should be examined in fine detail before the legislature votes to accept or reject it. Yes, there should be a lot more transparency about the handling of Taiwanese aid --- as with all other aspects of the Panamanian government’s finances.

At the end of this review process, however, Panama should stand by its old friend Taiwan, without demanding any payoff for this.

We need to clarify some things. Panama recognizes the government of Taiwan through which the 24 million people on the island of Formosa democratically govern themselves. However, we need to reassure China that we do not accept any claim of Taiwanese sovereignty over the territory and population ruled by the Peoples Republic of China. While the nature of Taiwan will continue to be a controversy both internationally and within Taiwan, Panama should stand firm in its resolve to accept Taiwan’s existence as a sovereign and de facto independent republic.

Of course we should recognize the actual government of the world’s most populous country for what it is, and offer to establish formal diplomatic ties with it. Might the Beijing government stick to its position that this is not enough, and continue to insist that Panama must abandon an old friend for the principle that China is sovereign over a self-governing country that it hasn’t ruled for more than 50 years before it will establish full diplomatic relations with us? It very well may. But that’s China’s problem, not ours.

It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed. The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All history will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure. Great necessities call out great virtues.

Abigail Adams

Since when do we have to agree with people to defend them from injustice?

Lillian Hellman

Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right... an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters and conduct of their rulers.

John Adams

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