▲海巡署與陸方代表團協商沒結果。（圖／記者林名揚翻攝）
● 方恩格（Ross Darrell Feingold）／前美國共和黨海外部亞太區主席
● 許淳恩／譯者
2月14日發生的一起事件中，一艘中國船隻與海巡署船隻相撞後翻覆，而至今仍未完全解決。儘管該船是一艘「三無」船舶（無船舶證書、無船名、無船籍港登記），台灣仍有責任妥善處理，以向國內外的利害關係人說明海巡是署秉公依法。有關此一事件，筆者有以下的觀察。
一、美國無法幫助台灣：儘管外媒時常強調台灣的重要性，如最近的總統大選被稱為是「全世界關注的焦點」，或者是在提到台灣半導體產業時，形容為「使台灣成為世界中心的晶片」。但事實上，台灣最重要的安全合作夥伴美國，目前正忙於烏克蘭和迦薩間持續的戰爭，以及白宮與國會間為了是否提供更多軍事援助給烏克蘭和以色列而產生的爭辯。此外，無論如何，拜登政府目前正在試圖穩定美中關係。
筆者一向以為，美國願意為台灣做的事情有其上限。國務院發言人在2月20日對金門事件的簡短評論，顯示拜登政府希望花在此事件的時間或力氣是有限的。因此，台灣需要現實一點，並認知到美國無法或是不願意幫助解決此情況。如果拜登政府在這起事件後想向台灣表示態度，他本可以派遣一艘美國海巡艦艇前往台灣附近的海域，而這也可以彰顯出台美在2021年簽署的「設立海巡工作小組瞭解備忘錄」具有實質意義。顯然，美國並未這樣做。
▲ 美國願意為台灣做的事情有其上限。（圖／路透社）
二、迅速且透明的調查：海委會主委管碧玲需要向公眾解釋這起事件的具體情況上再加把勁。海委會向立法院提交專題報告名稱的更改，造成了多餘的干擾，也惡化了管碧玲與在野黨立委之間的關係。對中方國台辦稱她「極為冷血」的回應，管碧玲摸了一位男記者的臉並說：「你看看我的體溫」。這也分散了人們在主要問題上的注意力。
三、不要有不切實際的期待：在這些情況底下，台灣有時會抱有不切實際的期望。海巡署或紅十字會是真的相信兩名中國遇難者家屬會簽下「慰問金」的領據嗎？這個要求聽起來更像是台灣政府機構癡迷於收集蓋好章的文件而已。如果台灣方確信這些人就是遇難者家屬，那麼最後到底有沒有拿到對方收下慰問金後簽的領據，實際上並不會對「慰問」這個目的造成任何影響。
四、帶外媒到現場採訪：在中國和菲律賓在南海的主權爭端日益激烈的情況下，菲律賓開始允許外媒登上其海巡署和海軍船隻觀察中國船隻的行為。這是一個讓菲律賓得到國際社會支持非常有效的策略。台灣海巡署及海軍和外媒打交道時不應過於保守，且應該開放媒體在有爭議的海域進行經常性的採訪。
五、考慮將海巡署轉移至其他政府部門：目前，台灣的海巡署是隸屬於海委會底下的一個機構。然而，海巡署的任務是執法，而海委會並非是一個執法機構。這起事件顯示出，海委會缺乏足夠的知識和技能來監督海巡署。也許海巡署應該被移至內政部底下。在美國，海巡署曾經隸屬於財政部，而隨後隸屬於運輸部。在2003年成立國土安全部後，海巡署便被移至此部門底下。這個轉移是有道理的，因為國土安全部包括其他執法機構，如移民和海關執法局、海關暨邊境保護局以及特勤局。
▲ 海巡署的任務是執法，而海委會並非是一個執法機構。（圖／記者林名揚翻攝）
在3月5日當日，美國海軍的約翰芬恩號驅逐艦在台灣海峽進行了南北向的例行航行。這大概只是事先計畫好的安排而已。如果是這樣的話，那麼這次在2月14日金門事件後的航行也純粹是個巧合，而不是支持台灣的一種表態。最終，2月14日的金門事件應由台灣政府自己來解決；美國不能，也不應該代替台灣解決這個問題。
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【英文版】
The February 14 incident in which a Chinese boat capsized after colliding with a Coast Guard Administration boat is yet to be fully resolved. Even though the boat was a “three noes” boat (unlicensed, unnamed and unregistered), Taiwan still has an obligation to handle this situation properly in order to convince domestic and international stakeholders that Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration and other government agencies have handled the situation appropriately. This author’s observations are as follows.
1. The USA Cannot Help Taiwan: Taiwan is not the center of the universe, notwithstanding the foreign media reports that emphasize the importance of Taiwan with headlines such as the recent presidential election was “Closely Watched by World”, or with reference to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, “The Chips That Make Taiwan the Center of the World”. In fact, Taiwan’s most important security partner, the United States, is busy at the moment with the ongoing wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, and the fight between the White House and Congress to provide more military aid to Ukraine and Israel. In addition, for better or worse, the Biden Administration is currently trying to stabilize United States – China relations.
This author often writes that there is an upper limit to what United States is willing to do for Taiwan. The brief comment about the Kinmen incident on February 20 by the State Department spokesman illustrates the limited amount of time or effort that the Biden Administration wants to spend on this incident. Thus, Taiwan needs to be realistic and understand that the United States cannot, or will not, help resolve this situation. Had the Biden Administration wanted to make a significant gesture to Taiwan after this incident, it could have dispatched a United States Coast Guard boat to waters near Taiwan, which would also demonstrate that the U.S.-Taiwan Coast Guard memorandum of understanding signed in 2021 has substantive meaning. Obviously, the United States has yet to do this.
▲ There is an upper limit to what United States is willing to do for Taiwan. （Photo／Associated Press）
2. Speedy and Transparent Investigation: Ocean Affairs Council Chairwoman Kuan Bi-ling needs to “up her game” in explaining to the public what exactly transpired in the incident. The changing of the title of the Ocean Affairs Council report to the Legislative Yuan about the incident created an unnecessary distraction and soured relations between Kuan and opposition legislators. In response to China’s Taiwan Affairs Office calling Chairwoman Kuan “extremely cold blooded”, Kuan touched the face of a male journalist and said, “Check my body temperature”. This also was an unnecessary distraction from the main issues.
3. Have Realistic Expectations: Sometimes in these situations Taiwan’s expectations are unrealistic. Did the Coast Guard or Red Cross really expect the families of the two dead Chinese to sign a receipt for the “condolence money”? The request sounds more like Taiwan government agencies infatuation with collecting documentation that has name chops affixed. Assuming that the Taiwan side was certain that these individuals are in fact the family members of the deceased, if Taiwan had handed them the money and did not receive a signed receipt, it would not make a difference at all.
4. Take Foreign Media on Trips to the Scene: Amid sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines that are becoming increasingly heated, the Philippines began to frequently allow foreign media on its Coast Guard and Navy boats to observe the behavior of Chinese boats. This is a very effective strategy to gain international support for the Philippines. Taiwan’s Coast Guard and Navy should stop being so conservative in their dealings with foreign media, and be open to frequent media tours in contested waters.
▲ Amid sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines that are becoming increasingly heated.（Photo／X／Jay Tarriela）
5. Consider Moving the Coast Guard to a Different Ministry: Currently, Taiwan’s Coast Guard is an agency under the Ocean Affairs Council. However, the Coast Guard’s mission is law enforcement, and the Ocean Affairs Council is not a law enforcement agency. This incident demonstrates that the Ocean Affairs Council lacks sufficient knowledge and skills to oversee the Coast Guard. Perhaps the Coast Guard should be moved to be subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior, to which the National Police Agency is already subordinate. In the United States, the Coast Guard was previously subordinate to the Department of the Treasury, and subsequently was subordinate to the Department of Transportation. The Coast Guard was then moved to the Department of Homeland Security after this department was established in 2003. This move made sense, as the Department of Homeland Security includes other law enforcement agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the Secret Service.
Finally, on March 5, the U.S. Navy’s guided missile class destroyer USS John Finn conducted a routine south-to-north Taiwan Strait transit. This was probably planned in advance. If so, it was simply a coincidence that this transit occurred in the aftermath of the February 14th Kinmen incident. Ultimately, the February 14th Kinmen incident is for the Taiwan government to resolve. The United States cannot, and should not, help resolve this for Taiwan.
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