When Formosa meets Iberia
當福爾摩沙遇上伊比利 (III)
TAIWAN NEWS(英文台灣日報)2004.06.07~08
第十一版 EU-PAGE連載
馬德里人
(Continued II)
(續前篇)
In the Taiwanese Mind Spain= Bullfights, Flamenco, Paella and Antoni Gaudi
台灣人：西班牙等於鬥牛、佛朗明哥、海鮮飯與高第
The distance between Taiwan and Spain is roughly 12,000 kilometers. Not only most Spanish never heard of Taiwan, some Taiwanese are not familiar with Spain either. Spain is only a country exists in high school textbooks. For many 40 to 50 year-old Taiwanese, Spain is a straggly and indolent country with famous bullfights and the “Flamenco” (misunderstood as Spanish Folk Dance). On the other hand, the images that younger generations of Taiwanese possess are Antoni Gaudí’s architecture, Pedro Almódovar’s film works, the “Paella” (famous seafood-rice dish) and the soccer team, “Real Madrid”. Genuine understanding between Taiwanese and Spanish is limited due to distance and language barriers.
台灣與西班牙，兩國相距近一萬兩千公里，也因此不單單許多西班牙人可能沒聽過台灣，許多台灣人除了曾在中學地理課本當中讀過以外，可能也對於西班牙相當陌生。對於許多年屆四、五十歲以上的台灣人來說，西班牙在他們的印象中，不外乎就是「落後」、「地狹人稠」、「懶散」、「鬥牛的國家」、「西班牙舞（實為佛朗明哥舞）」等觀感或印象；而對於較為年輕一輩的台灣人，則可能對於高第的建築、阿莫多瓦的電影、皇家馬德里足球隊、海鮮飯等較有概念。由於向來雙方礙於距離、語言等因素，以致於能夠促進雙方民眾認識的機會相當有限。
However, many tourists from Taiwan have changed their stereotype impression of Spain after visited Iberian Peninsula. Major cities in Spain have been developing convenient transportation system. Downtown Madrid also provides airport check-in services and direct luggage transportation through downtown-airport subway express line. In order to encourage the utilization of public transportation, local authority designed various combinations of low fare tickets for buses, subway, commute trains, and specialized natural gas powered bus with lower chassis for minorities. Transfer terminals are also established and integrated for efficiency and conveniency purposes. All above stated advance and convenient design of infrastructure often make great impression on Taiwanese visitors. Outside the cities, especially in the wide-open countryside, the rolling landscapes and vast forests give a feeling of spaciousness, quietness and tranquility, which makes an unforgettable impression on many visitors.
然而，許多原本對於西班牙存在「落後」、「地狹人稠」等負面印象的台灣遊客，經過實地到伊比利半島走過一趟，往往都會推翻原本對西班牙的刻板印象。西班牙幾個大都市當中綿密的地鐵路網系統、馬德里市中心辦妥登機手續並直掛行李直達國際機場的機場快速地鐵線、為了鼓勵使用大眾運輸工具所規劃的低廉票價、公車地鐵火車票證整合、寬敞舒適的通勤火車、照顧老殘婦孺方便上下車的低底盤天然氣公車、以及整合區間客運、長途客運以及地鐵系統的交通轉運站設計，都會讓初抵西班牙的台灣遊客明顯發現許多先進、便捷的設計。離開大都市之後，藍天無雲的好天氣，搭配上沿途人煙稀少的自然地景以及一望無際的原野風光，也常會立刻讓許多習慣擁擠生活環境的台灣客，頓時有心曠神怡的感覺。
Most Taiwanese proudly consider themselves a group of people full of hospitalities; yet, hospitalities are not the monopoly of Taiwanese. For those who visited or live in Spain, they know that friendly and hospitality Spanish people is everywhere even language barriers exist. In restaurants, buses, elevators, the greetings and its body language are heard over and over among friends and strangers. This phenomenon leaves strong impression to foreign visitors some who can’t even speak or understand Spanish.
台灣人常常將自認是個「充滿人情味」的民族並引以為傲，然而許多到過西班牙，或是在西班牙住過一段時間的人，可以發現人情味並不是台灣人獨有的專利；無論上街購物或是進出公共場所，雖然雙方在溝通上存在著語言上的隔閡，但是對於許多西班牙人日常生活作息當中，無論同一社區搭乘電梯、餐廳當中與臨座食客四目交會、搭乘公車與司機打照面，即便都是不認識的陌生人，仍不忘掛在嘴邊的問候禮貌；而許多不愔西班牙語的外國遊客，更常會從西班牙人肢體語言表達出的熱忱和熱情，留下了深刻的印象。
Lacking Official Ties, Taiwan-Spain Relations at a Standstill
缺乏交集˙官方民間長期漠視 台西實質關係停滯不前
As a matter of fact, Taiwan and Spain are not only separated by the distance but also a wide diplomatic gap. After breaking off diplomatic relations between Madrid and Taipei on March 10th, 1973, diplomacy between the two countries has been suffering ever since. Compared to other EU nations such as Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy, the interaction between Spain and Taiwan has encountered greater difficulties. Spain’s Ministry of Internal Affairs granted Taiwan the right to change the name of its representative office in Madrid from “Sun Yat-sen Centre” to the “Taipei Economic and Cultural Affairs Office” in 1991. Taiwanese representatives remain unchanged position as diplomatic personnel. For many EU nations, Taiwanese citizens can obtain a local driver’s license by presenting their license issued in Taiwan, but such service is not available in Spain. Furthermore, Spain is still the only major European nation that Taiwan has yet to sign an aviation agreement with, not to mention any official diplomatic interaction. Indeed, Taiwan faces huge challenges to break through.
然而，擺在眼前的事實是，不但台灣與西班牙兩地間距離相隔萬里之遙，連兩國之間的關係也存在著相當的鴻溝。自從一九七三年三月十日台北與馬德里斷交之後，長期以來兩國之間的外交關係便難有進展；相較於與歐盟其他如英、法、德、義等主要國家之間的互動關係，台、西之間的實質互動可以說遭逢更多的困難。舉例來說，除了曾經於一九九一年將原本駐西單位「孫逸仙中心」經西班牙內政部同意更名為「台北經濟文化辦事處」以外，迄今駐西代表處人員仍未能享有外交人員待遇；持台灣駕照在歐盟許多國家已享有獲得換發當地駕照的待遇，在西班牙亦仍無法突破；此外，西班牙亦是迄今台灣與西歐主要大國當中，唯一尚未簽訂航權協定的國家。而雙方高層的互訪活動方面，相較於與其他歐盟國家之間的互動，仍然有相當需要努力的空間。
Many compatriots and diplomatic representatives living in Spain have often discuss privately that the crux of the difficulty in Taiwan-Spain relations is due to pro-China standpoint of Spanish government and taking advantages of conflicts between Taiwan and China. Still, Foreign affairs and national benefits are tightly related and inseparable. Spain has no obligation to give up any profitable space for the country itself and her people. Taiwan, in order to suit the remedy to this case, Taiwanese authority need to find a better way to establish mutually beneficial economic plans and reciprocal political exchange policy, which will truly enhance concrete and substantial benefits for both countries. Recently, China’s policy for releasing a ban on traveling in Spain and Hong Kong’s unlimited direct air link agreement with Spain seems elevated friendly relationship among these countries. If Taiwan remains its passive approach in its relations with Spain and prioritize relations with other EU nations instead, it could only lead to the continued stagnation of Taiwan-Spain relations.
包含許多旅西多年的台僑或是涉外官員，私下談到台、西之間實質關係難有進展的原因，大多歸因於「西國政府向來立場親中」或是「西國政府對於兩岸事務擅長玩兩手策略」。然而，對外事務向來就與國家利益密不可分，如何從「互利」、「互惠」的角度出發，整合經貿與外交之間的資源，透過雙方提出具體而實惠的交換方案作為籌碼，讓兩國均能從中獲得實質利益，應才是真正對症下藥的方法。眼看著中國政府近期端出「開放國民赴西班牙觀光」的大餅，以及香港特區政府甫於三月間與西班牙所簽訂的無限制直航協議，若是台灣仍然以消極的態度看待與西班牙的關係，繼續把其優先順序置於歐盟其他國家之後，可以預見在未來的台、西關係仍將停滯不前，難見曙光。
Actually, another sticking point in Taiwan-Spain relations lies in cultural and educational exchange. While Taiwan has cultural divisions within its offices in other major EU nations for educational interchange affairs, there is no such division in Spain. It’s extremely difficult for diplomats and news personnel here to promote cultural and educational exchange when faced with limited manpower. Spain, as a second largest country in its territory had become an uncultivated and forgotten land for Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations of Taiwan. It further obstructs the understanding of people from both sides of countries and decreased supports and friendship of public opinion towards Taiwan.
事實上，台、西之間實質關係推動的另一個問題在於，兩國教育文化交流無專責單位推動。在台灣派駐歐盟主要國家駐外單位當中，均派有專責文教推動工作的「文化組」，然而同樣的編制在駐西代表處卻付之闕如；在人力有限以及本身業務自顧不暇的情況下，外交、新聞等駐外人員想要兼顧文教交流推動，實在是力有未逮；也因此，面積居歐盟各國第二大的西班牙，在這樣偌大的國家卻仿如台灣國際文教工作的蠻荒地帶。台、西兩國實質文教交流關係一旦無法提升，罔論增進雙方人民的認識，形成凝聚西班牙輿論對於台灣的友善和支持。
To be continued
待續
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