小國提升國際地位的策略—兼論對臺灣之啟示

Abstract

國際地位的上昇不僅能為國家安全帶來邊際效益，更代表著經濟和工業化的實力，提高國家的形象和能見度，尤其許多小國雖然在先天國力上難以和大國相抗衡，但是卻能藉由國際地位的提升而擁有政治或其他層面的影響力，因此，若能找出提昇國際地位的策略，尤其是小國可資運用部份，對於理論和實務的研究都將有所幫助。 在第一章中本文先定義「國際地位係代表著一國國力和參與國際社會的行為質量之排序」，並再區分成「實力」、「影響力」、「聲望」、「能見度」及「重要性」五項內涵，以更清楚了解國際地位的組成和升降。而為了找出小國的優勢策略，在第二章將小國的策略條件分成國際、國家及個人三層次討論。第三章則分析比較不同特色小國之策略成果的差異性，將策略所達到的結果與大國(美國)比較，並分成三類：其一為策略的效果能夠達到與大國相似的效果，這樣的策略如建立外交關係、國際法和國際組織的參與、核武或軍事等發展以及經濟實力的提升等，亦即在數據資料上，小國能夠達到和大國相似的表現。其次則是指配合正確的資源使用，小國在某方面能夠擁有超越大國的表現之策略，包括石油外交、對外援助、貿易投資、技術發展及學術、運動等競賽參與及交流等，透過國家實力的提升並對外發揮影響力來提升國際地位。最後則是利用特殊的技巧來提升小國落後大國的地位排序，並且吸引國際關切，包括發起議題、形象外交、利用大國矛盾，以及尾巴搖擺狗策略等。 針對遭中國大陸的阻撓對外活動的台灣則在第四章分析前面策略中可適用台灣者，並指出臺灣應該面對中國大陸壓力的存在，並將其化入提升國際地位的策略規劃思維中，利用臺灣珍貴的資源找出優勢領域和利基策略。最後總結國際地位也能夠為小國帶來實質的效益，使其不僅在「名」也在「實」上都能夠突破「小」的缺陷，找到國際發展的空間和存在價值。然而並非所有策略各種小國施行的效果都相同，配合小國輸入項條件的不同，則其所採行的策略優勢也將有所變化，瑞士、新加坡和以色列都是其中表現極優的佼佼者，若能綜合他們的特色，集中發展國際貿易、投資與市場開發，不斷研究科技發展與創新，並且以宣傳與形象包裝，配合全民外交的思維，不以傳統權力觀念來力爭國際舞台，而用價值觀和概念來引領世界，藉由參與重要且相關的國際組織來增加發言權，將使得小國在國際舞台表現上能夠超越大國。

The promotion of international status can bring states lots of benefits, such as symbolizing the leading of economic and industrial ability, and improving states’ profile and reputation. For small states, they can gain influence through higher international status since they usually do not have the ability to balance big states. Therefore, if we can find the strategy of promoting the international status, especially applying to small states, it will benefit study of small states as well as application of small states. In the first chapter, “international status” is defined as “rank of the quality of state power and the level of participation in the international community,” and is composed of five elements: ability, influence, reputation, note, and importance for more clearly distinguishing the change of international status. In the second chapter, by systematic way, we sort small states’ attributes for promoting international status out to three categories: international, national, and personal. Then, we analyze the difference of strategies outcomes among different small states in the third chapter. Furthermore, we compare the effect and outcomes of the small countries with that of big states, the US in especial, and distinguish the compared result into similar with big states, over big states, and no comparison. The first is the result of policies of small states resembling the US. These strategies, such as establishing diplomatic relations, participating international organization and international lawmaking, developing nuclear weapons, and strengthening economy, mean small states can perform as big states in statistics. The other kind is in coordination with right resources, small states’ policy outcomes can transcend big states. Petroleum diplomacy, official development assistance, internaitonal trade and investment, research and deverlopment, and competition of academia, sports and others will promote the ablitity of states and affect other states to prove its status. Last kind is using special skills to improve the order of international status and appealing to international society. Issuing new agenda, making up the state’ image, utilizing the contradition among big states, and “tail wagging dog” are these kind of strategies. Going to the fourth chapter, Taiwan under China’s impediment to diplomatic activities is our analyzing object and we suggest that Taiwan should recognize the pressure of China, discard old diplomatic approaches, and design niche strategies with its own conditions. Finally, we conclude international status can bring real benefits for small states, and let small states surmount the deficiency of “small,” find international space to develop and survive. Although not all strategies suit every small state, the characteristics differentiate the best strategies in small states. For example, Singapore, Switzerland and Israel demonstrate three successful cases that small states can occupy higher status and have more influence on international affairs than many other larger states. If small states can build the best strategies combining the characteristics of three small states and integrating resources to propagate good state’s image, and know their own limits and try to lead the world not by power, but by ideas and value, they will outweigh those big states.