The Macro View television interview of Leonard Chow that was conducted by Raymond Wu through the station's Taiwan Outlook Show highlights on the various ways of how ambassadors employee creativity in the process of creating diplomatic relations with other nations. Leonard Chow who is the interviewed is a former Taiwan ambassador to the Swaziland Kingdom. Chow used to be a representative of Taiwan who worked in North America before he was assigned to work as the nation's ambassador in Swaziland.
Raymond Wu starts off the interview by defining diplomacy as a form of art that often makes the impossible possible. Chow states that his deployment to Swaziland came as a surprise to him since he initially did not know anything about the country. Swaziland is a landlocked country located in the southern region of Africa. It is bordered by South Africa on the West, and Mozambique on the East. The nation has very friendly people and is one of the few states ruled through the monarchy system.
Leonard Chow within the first six months after getting into office in Swaziland developed a motivational model that encouraged the people of Swaziland to focus on developing their nation. Chow utilized the letters of the country's name to motivate the citizens to initiate their desired change in the nation. He advised them to be Strategic, employee Wisdom in setting a balance in their traditional and modern culture, be Accountable for their actions, have the Zeal in what they do, and Implement their plans on development effectively. His suggestion was well received by the citizens of Swaziland including the kingdom's King and Prime Minister who saw it as an excellent idea.
Although the relation between the Taiwan citizens and that of Chinese living and working in the country was not that good, Chow tried to ensure the citizens from both nations benefited from his appointment as an ambassador to the Kingdom. China had close to a thousand of its nationals in the kingdom while Taiwan had about one hundred of its citizens there only. He attempted to make friends with people from China's different regions by showing that he was there to serve for the benefit of all groups.
His attempt was successful since it, for example, led one of the senior gentlemen and great businessman from China living in the Kingdom to state his presence made him view him as his ambassador. During his term, he preceded over at least three wedding with one being between a Chinese and Tawnies. Swaziland citizens nicknamed Chow Mr. Ma shisha which meant Mr. Fast action or efficiency in their language. His efforts of making the country better especially in changing the remote areas made the public give him the name. During his term, he was, for example, able to electrify many homes and start various water supply projects.
The ambassador had been able to create a friendly relation with different government officials including the kingdom's king who even visited him in his house. The ambassador during his three years term in the country focused on improving the organization's agricultural, educational, health, and investment in the infrastructural sector. His establishment of the Taiwan medical mission that was commissioned by the University of PLU positively shaped the nation's health care. The fostering of Educational exchange programs such as the taking of same of the medical students for a six to one year course in Taiwan's type A medical universities such as the National Taiwan University Medical School has enabled the country to create a generation of qualified doctors.
The scholarships programs made available by the foreign affairs ministry and the embassy to technical universities such as Minh Tran and the various universities in Southern Taiwan has enabled students in Swaziland to initiate various forms technology improvements in the lives of Swaziland citizens. This kind of investments in the country has enabled the people of Swaziland to trust Taiwan citizens thus creating a friendly relationship between the two states. Leonard Chow stated that the diplomatic relations in Swaziland and North America have enabled him to have different experiences.
The differences have been caused by one, the difference in the location where one is in the southern area of Africa and the other in the Northern part of America. Two, the difference in culture and believes which has influenced the relations differently. Three, the difference in past relationships, Swaziland had established a strong diplomatic relationship with Taiwan that was initiated in the year 1968. On the other hand, the North America had not established any diplomatic relation although the country had a friendly relationship that was established in the World War two era.
Chew also accounts that the relationship between China and the United States placed a barrier to the Taiwan-United States relation because China and Taiwan were not in a good relation. This made it hard for him to make diplomatic relations with various officials from North America. According to Chew exercising flexible diplomacy as advocated by President Ma Ying-jeou is a great approach since it would create a comfortable environment that would support the relationship that Taiwan would have with other nations.
Request Removal
If you are the original author of this essay and no longer wish to have it published on the customtermpaperwriting.org website, please click below to request its removal:
