方恩格快评》跨国巨作立院荒谬剧

作为一个旅居台湾的外国人，经常在台湾媒体上撰文，评论台湾的电视节目，评论台湾的政治和外交，作为一个长期居住在台湾的人，我很清楚，台湾经常出现在国际媒体上都是负面而不是正面的消息（儘管台湾政府努力在世界宣传台湾，打着“Taiwan Can Help”等口号）。我也经常批评台湾政府为了获得国际同情而进行「取暖」的行动。

因此，当《经济学人》等媒体在头版发表标题为〈地球上最危险的地方〉形容台湾的报导时，我感到难过。

当全球媒体报导有关台湾的负面消息，例如地震或颱风、来自中国的威胁、或反復将台湾与乌克兰进行比较时，我感到很难过。

当全球媒体报导立法院的立法委员打架或丢掷食物时，我很难过。不幸的是，这是国民党和民进党屡屡犯下的恶行。就在最近，就在国民党主席朱立伦访问美国前几天，国民党立法委员再次这样做了。

但我很难用英语和普通话找到正确的词，来描述我对上周斯洛伐克政客拍下自己模仿台湾立法委员在立法院打斗的照片时哭笑不得的心情。最终，笔者感到欲哭无泪。

立法委员作为民选代表，应该有尊严地代表台湾人民。外交部的外交官在与斯洛伐克来访代表团等外国政要交往时，应该有尊严地代表国家。

不知道为什么陪同斯洛伐克政客的立法委员或外交部工作人员认为这种照片很适切。在场的台湾官员民代难道没有意识到，斯洛伐克政客即使无意（对台湾没有恶意），其实是在嘲弄台湾？

这些斯洛伐克政客是否也希望外国人访问他们的国会，能模仿他们的行为方式，并将照片传遍全世界？作为美国人，我不会希望外国人来国会山庄模仿2021年1月6日的事件（美国国会遭受衝击事件）。

作为一个在台湾长期居住的外国人，这件事不仅让我感到难过，而且几经审度，我想到的一个词来形容我的反应是：无奈！

无奈的是，斯洛伐克的贵宾居然用这种方式来戏谑台湾的最高立法机关。

无奈的是，一些台湾立法委员跟外交官居然认可这样的行为，甚至还觉得有趣。

无奈的是，台湾人花了几天时间才意识到这是多么不合适。

笔者经常问「台湾政府会不会有这样的一天，在感谢美国的同时，又在最符合台湾利益的时候批评美国？」或对其他国家也一样？台湾可以对外国人说「不」，也无须满足外国人的每一个要求。但期盼对此事件负责的立法者和外交部工作人员能够在下次类似事件发生之前意识到这一点。

Cross Border Parliamentary Tragicomedy

By Ross Darrell Feingold

Former Asia Chairman, Republicans Abroad

Twitter: @RossFeingold

As a foreigner who lives in Taiwan and frequently writes in the Taiwan media, and comments on Taiwan television programs, about Taiwan’s politics and foreign relations, and as a longtime resident of Taiwan, I’m well aware that Taiwan is often in the international media for negative rather than positive reasons (despite the Taiwan government’s efforts to promote Taiwan worldwide, with slogans such as “Taiwan Can Help"). I also often criticize the Taiwan government’s willingness to engage in “pity party” actions in order to obtain international sympathy.

Thus, I’m sad when media such as The Economist published a frontpage story with a headline “The Most Dangerous Place on Earth”.

I’m sad when various global media report negative news about Taiwan such as earthquakes or typhoons, threats from China, or repeatedly compare Taiwan with Ukraine.

I’m sad when global media report about fights or the throwing of food by legislators at the Legislative Yuan. Unfortunately, this is behavior that both the Chinese Nationalist Party and Democratic Progressive Party are repeatedly guilty of. Even recently, Chinese Nationalist Party legislators did this again just days before party chairman Eric Chu Li-luan visited the United States.

But I struggled to find the correct word in English and Mandarin to describe my mixed reaction to what occurred last week when visiting Slovak politicians took photos of themselves imitating Taiwan legislators fighting in the Legislative Yuan. Eventually this author felt disgusted.

Members of the Legislative Yuan, as elected representatives of the people, should aspire to represent Taiwan’s people with dignity.

Diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when interacting with foreign dignitaries such as the Slovak visiting delegation, should aspire to represent the country with dignity.

I do not know why the legislators or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff who accompanied the Slovak politicians at the Legislative Yuan thought this kind of photo is appropriate. Did the Taiwan persons at the scene not realize that the Slovaks, even if they did not intend to do so (and have no ill will towards Taiwan), were actually mocking Taiwan?

Would these Slovak politicians want foreigners to visit their parliament, and imitate how Slovaks politicians behave, with the photos being broadcast throughout the world? As an American, I would not want foreigners to come to Capitol Hill and imitate the events of January 6, 2021.

As a longtime foreign resident of Taiwan, this incident not only makes me sad, but, after much thought, the word that comes to mind to describe my reaction is: disgusted.

Disgusted that the Slovak delegation did this to their hosts.

Disgusted that certain Taiwan legislators or Taiwan diplomats thought this is appropriate, or thought it is funny.

Disgusted that it took several days for people in Taiwan to realize how inappropriate this was.

This author frequently asks “Will the day come when Taiwan’s government simultaneously thanks but also, when it best serves Taiwan’s interests, criticizes the United States” or other countries. It is OK for Taiwan to say “no” to foreigners, and not accommodate foreigners every request. Hopefully the legislators and Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff responsible for this incident will realize this before another such incident.

※以上言论不代表旺中媒体集团立场※