Time for a Democratic Pacific Union
By Dr. Jaw-Ling Joanne Chang inq7.net | June 14, 2003 http://www.inq7.net/opi/2003/jun/14/opi_commentary1-1.htm SINCE the beginning of history, human destiny and oceans have been intimately linked. The largest and deepest ocean, the Pacific, covers more than a third of the earth's surface. The countries of the Pacific region all together represent more than half of the world's economic output. The Pacific Ocean is fast becoming the dynamic powerhouse in the world economy, yet increased trade and communications across the region do not translate into a reduced threat to the lives and wealth of its collective citizenry. While most of the countries in the Pacific region have overturned authoritarian or military regimes and espoused political liberty, the democratic development of several other countries is not yet on the right track. Fifteen out of 39 countries in Asia are not democratic, and four out of only five remaining Communist regimes are also Asian countries. In order to create a new path for democracy and for sustainable development, we must continue promoting democratic experiences in the region and strengthening oceanic values and high technologies. We sincerely hope that the new Pacific will veer away from the previous path of military confrontation and power competition. Regional integration is a rising trend in today's world. Over the past decades the European Union has developed into a well-established political community committed to the promotion of democracy, economic prosperity and the rule of law. Due to past rivalries and cultural diversities among Pacific states, the establishment of a Pacific version of the European Union has long been considered utopian, but leaders of the region have begun to express concerns about the lack of a regional political or security mechanism dealing with the issues affecting the common interests of Pacific states. The outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), AIDS, and terrorist activities have been timely reminders that further cooperation to combat deadly diseases and terrorism is desperately needed. Taiwan is centrally located in Southeast and Northeast Asia. It controls the passage of 400 international vessels through the Taiwan Strait everyday. Indeed, Taiwan is an ocean state. Taiwan's economic miracle is well known. It is the world's 14th largest trading country and sixth largest capital exporter, and its per capita GNP ranks 25th. It has the world's third largest foreign exchange reserves of 166 billion dollars in 2003. Taiwan strives to upgrade its research and development as well as its human resources in order to sustain economic growth. In addition, Taiwan has become a full-fledged democracy. On May 20, 2000, Taiwan saw its first transfer of power between political parties through a mature and democratic process. Vice President Annett Lu has pointed out that the Taiwanese people have used five soft powers over the past half-century to nurture their homeland -- human rights, democracy, peace, love, and high technology -- and these five powers have given birth to the "Taiwan Miracle." These soft powers are different from conventional hard power, the concept based on exploitative materialism and aggressive militarism. Using the "Taiwan Experience, Soft Miracle" as an example, Taiwan can serve as a facilitator of the new civilization of the Pacific Ocean in the 21st century, and enable soft power to become the universal value of the region. To come to terms with the common problems now faced by the Pacific community, prominent academic institutions and NGOs in Taiwan and abroad are co-sponsoring a Democratic Pacific Assembly (DPA), an international conference to be held in Taipei from Sept. 19 to 21, 2003. The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for regional leaders to discuss issues of importance to the Pacific Rim's future: sustainable development, democratic development and human security. In addition to the Asia Pacific countries, the Pacific Rim should include countries in North America, Central America and the west coast of Latin America. Taiwan is committed to bring countries along both the western and eastern shores of the Pacific together to discuss the common challenges of the 21st century. The solutions will depend on a spirit of cooperation and coordination among all Pacific countries for which human security and democratic values are key concepts. Together we can integrate our resources and information to establish an international network -- the Democratic Pacific Union -- to further consolidate democratic values, foster economic development, and protect the lives and rights of everyone in the Pacific region. Democracy is an indispensable condition for the development, prosperity and peace of the Pacific. The Democratic Pacific Union, a nongovernmental organization, aims to enhance greater cooperation among established and emerging democracies in the Pacific Region. As an old Chinese saying states, "Tall buildings start from the ground." World peace may only be an ideal, but the Democratic Pacific Union can become a common cause for all democratic peoples in the Pacific Region. It is also a great cause for the people of Taiwan as they explore their future. ------------------- Dr. Jaw-Ling Joanne Chang is a research fellow at the Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica. ------------------------ Yahoo! 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