Seeing oneself in others
“We shouldn’t really approach things with stereotypes.” In the last posting of his diplomatic career, Tommy Lee dedicated his efforts to Indonesia. A quarter indigenous Taiwanese, Lee used his vacation time in Indonesia to indulge in a systematic island-hopping exploration of the country’s indigenous peoples. With a journalist’s eye and a respectful attitude, Lee, former head of the information division at the Taipei Economic and Trade Office in Indonesia, opened a new door of friendship with the country in which he was stationed.
“Seeing Indonesia is a record of my memories that I put together after my retirement,” says Lee. It is also an exploration of the customs and cultures of various Austronesian-speaking peoples. With an open mind, he accepted this unfamiliar country and examined the similarities and differences between it and Taiwan. “I want Taiwanese people to understand Indonesia better.” Through in-depth journalistic investigation abroad, he has helped bring the beauty of a foreign country to his compatriots.
Francias Lee:
Building friendship with a sincere heart
“A sincere heart is the best means of building friendships.” Francias Lee is a retired diplomat who has been stationed all around the world and experienced many changes in the political landscape. The harsh realities of international diplomacy are something only those who have been through them can understand. “1971 was a watershed for ROC diplomatic relations.” That year, Taiwan left the United Nations, and the number of countries with which it had formal relations plummeted.
“Building friendships with other nations when you don’t have formal diplomatic relations is a real test of a diplomat’s skills.” In 1991, Lee had his first experience as Taiwan’s chief representative in a country; while stationed in Australia, he arranged several exchanges between ministers from both sides, greatly boosting bilateral trade relations.
“During my term, the Australia‡Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group grew to some 90 members.” At the same time, the Australia‡US and Australia‡UK groups had 102 and 84 members respectively. This prideworthy accomplishment happened in just two years, having started from scratch. “You can’t lose heart in tough situations.” Lee looks forward to Taiwan using the power of her people to keep winning respect on the global stage.
Cherished memories, future visions
The photographic exhibition and overseas reporting forum for Taiwan Panorama’s 45th anniversary aimed to broaden the horizons of the students in attendance, while also being a valuable reflection on the experiences of the participants. The beauty of Taiwan lies in its simple and natural character and its combination of East and West, old and new. Into the future, Taiwan Panorama will continue to look out at the world while keeping its feet planted in Taiwan, helping those who know Taiwan to love it more and those who don’t to learn about Taiwan through its pages.