The Foreign Ministry of Costa Rica confirmed that it receives US$22,000 monthly from the Taiwan authority for staff payment, local media reported on May 24. The money is divided into two parts - 15,000 dollars to pay full salary of the Ministry's 21 staff members and 7,000 for subsidies of another 13 staff members.

Costa Rica President Abel Pacheco admitted on the next day that this is true. He also confessed that his daughter, who works in the Costa Rica Embassy in Mexico, is among diplomats receiving financial support from Taiwan by accepting a monthly salary of 1,500 dollars.

The scandal spread to Taiwan and triggered off a political storm. The local authority resorted to their old tricks of denial and argument, but the fact of "political contribution" can never be covered up by rhetoric.

As a matter of fact, this is but a common practice by Taiwan leaders, only the general public having been kept in the dark.

From Lee Teng-hui to Chen Shui-bian, from "practical diplomacy" to "transit diplomacy", to "holiday diplomacy" and "beacon-fire diplomacy", their nature remains unchanged, that is, the "dollar diplomacy".

Lee Teng-hui turned out very free with money and Chen Shui-bian is no inferior. Since taking office, Chen has never paid a visit without opening his way by money. Taiwan "legislators" once pointed out that, in his first visiting tour, Chen supported Nicaragua 100 million dollars, Chad 120 million dollars and in his second tour gave Panama 6 million dollars, El Salvador 2.9 million dollars and Central America Common Market 103 million dollars.

These are only information "legislators" managed to get, without counting under-table deals such as the one in Costa Rica. To "open the gates" needs money to pave the way, so does to "invite the world in".

The so-called "inauguration ceremony" this time serves as the latest note. According to Paraguay media, Paraguay President Nicanor Duarte, who paid the first "official visit" to the island after Chen's "inauguration", has asked for help to build 5,000 resident houses after gaining a nod from Taiwan leaders for a 30 million dollars loan.

"Dollar diplomacy" is in nature political buy-offs. Countries who take bribes indeed return something every year, either in the form of waving banners for "Taiwan's participation in the UN", or clamoring for "Taiwan's WHO accession". The island leaders are keen on "dollar diplomacy", just for the purpose of "expanding room on international stage", raise the islands "international visibility", and ladle out ideas as "Two China", "One China, One Taiwan" and "Taiwan independence" in the international society".

"Dollar diplomacy" wastes money and manpower and huts the dignity of Taiwan compatriots, and on the other hand provides chance for official corruption. As an old Chinese saying goes, a just cause enjoys abundant support while an unjust cause finds little.

Taiwan leaders who seek for independence through "dollar diplomacy" enjoy little popular support. It is a consensus by most world countries that there is only one China in the world, the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal Government of China, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. The Taiwan authority's attempt to use money to shake off diplomatic embarrassment is doomed to end up in failure.

By People's Daily Online