Leacock’s comments in Taiwan suggest end of foreign policy controversy

By Ashford Peters

The comments in Taiwan by Deputy Prime Minister St. Clair Leacock that St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and Taiwan should move beyond friendship to “family” suggest that the Godwin Friday-led New Democratic Party (NDP) administration has abandoned the party’s 10-year-old foreign policy of switching diplomatic relations to China.

Leacock made the comments on arrival in Taiwan on Tuesday as head of a four-member delegation on a six-day official visit that ends on Sunday, the first by the NDP government since it came to office in November.

The NDP has formally maintained the one-China policy since it was announced by then party president and leader of the opposition, Arnhim Eustace, in August 2016.

“I think on hindsight, when we as an opposition party, we should not have made that foreign policy decision, because, I think it has hurt us,” Leacock, a vice-president of the NDP, had said in April 2024.

Speaking on Tuesday on behalf of the Government of SVG, Leacock said he and his delegation were grateful for the invitation, “in recognition of the longstanding friendship and relationship” between both countries, which celebrate 45 years of diplomatic relations on Aug. 15.

Noting with “deep and profound appreciation the tremendous assistance and brotherly relationships” enjoyed during that period, Leacock said he and his delegation were there “with open minds and hearts and spirits to build on the strong bridges of friendship that have existed over the years”.

Leacock said Prime Minister Friday appreciates the fact that, following the re-election of the NDP to office last November,  Taiwan and SVG “have hit the ground running”, and Taipei, “with an open embrace and recognition of the continuity that represents government”, has signalled their readiness “to do business with” the NDP administration.

The SVG deputy prime minister said that the NDP was equally, and with bated breath, waiting “to build on the early 17 years that we had when we were under Sir James Mitchell”.

SVG and Taiwan established diplomatic relations in 1981 under the Milton Cato-led St Vincent Labour Party (SVLP) administration.

The relations continued under the late James Mitchell-led NDP (1984-2001) and under the Ralph Gonsalves-led Unity Labour Party (ULP) government (2001-2005).

The NDP was handed an overwhelming 14-1 victory even as it did not explicitly renounce the 2016 policy, and even as the ULP — whose leader, Ralph Gonsalves, had advocated for Kingstown-Beijing ties before he came to office — engaged in sharemongering over what the NDP might do if elected.

Leacock said Mitchell had “a great relationship with the people of Taiwan”, and the Friday administration is looking forward to building on “those bridges, perhaps not from an infrastructural point of view, but for keeping the body and soul and advancing our society to be a first-world society”, like Taiwan’s.

“And we are most optimistic that the generosity that you have exercised over the very many years of us, will on this occasion grow even faster, and bear fruits that will be long-lasting for the life and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Leacock told Taiwan officials.

Leacock said that, as is well-known in his country, whenever there is a gathering between Taiwan and SVG, “there is a common phraseology: ‘we are friends, but more so, we are family’”.

Leacock said such is “the consequence of 45 years of good living” and that “it is left upon us here now to build on that solid foundation by successive governments and regimes” to “make this place better for all of us”.

During the campaigns for the Nov. 27 general elections, Gonsalves and his ULP urged the electorate not to vote for the NDP, saying that Vincentian students on scholarship in Taiwan would have to return home if the NDP won.

Following the ULP’s whopping 14-1 defeat at the polls, Friday assured students in Taiwan that their position would not be affected.

“As it is now, our diplomatic relations with Taiwan remain,” Friday stated on Hot 97 FM on Christmas Eve.

“Our diplomatic relations with all the countries that we have had relations with, we have not changed any of our position with respect to any country in which we have diplomatic relations.”

He said then that he had met with several of the ambassadors and those who have diplomatic representation in our country, as part of the normal process of transition and courtesy calls.

“But our diplomatic relations remain as they were when we came into government and will be for the extended, for the foreseeable future,” Friday said then.

In October 2018, two years after Eustace’s announcement, Leacock, who has been an NDP vice-president since 2000, and some former members of his administration attended Taiwan’s National Day Reception at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown, hosted by the Taiwan embassy in Kingstown.

Mitchell subsequently commented on the situation, saying:

“I am pleased that the honourable St. Clair Leacock turned up, as it shows that we respect the presence of the Taiwanese in our country and that we show appreciation for what they have done over the years.”

Sir James said that the party’s policy positions would be studied and analysed, and that decisions would be taken when the NDP returned to office.

He said that China was willing to embrace everybody, but Caribbean governments must be smart, adding that, as regards foreign relations, each country first acts in its own best interest.

“We have got to understand that Taiwan will act in its best interest and St. Vincent will act in its own interest. What is important is that the two states coincide. And that is something that has to be carefully analysed and worked out. And, I am sure that there are still opportunities that have not been explored to the fullest,” he said then.

Sir James said he was glad that Leacock was “demonstrating some understanding of the complexities of foreign relations”.

Mitchell said his former Cabinet members who attended the function still had influence in the party and among their people.

“I am worried that any decision taken now, or put in a way, that we drive all the Vincentians who benefited from our assistance to them, that we drive all those people away. That’s an important political consideration.

“I, personally, can say this: the popularity of the NDP is very much historically dependent on the help we got from Taiwan,” he said.

Sir James said he did not think that the party had made the decision at a convention.

“I personally will continue to support Taiwan until I have reason not to,” said Sir James, who has also said that the NDP should ask Taiwan for “bankable assurances”.