https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3170316/why-pompeos-taiwan-visit-was-so-controversial
![Alex Lo]()
Alex Lo
13 Mar, 2022
I was wrong, again. Last week, I attributed grand geopolitics to former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s visit to Taiwan during which he called on the United States to recognise the island as an independent and sovereign country. Now, it seems cold hard cash might have been the greater motive.
United Daily News and CNews, two news outlets in Taiwan, have published the leaked contract negotiated between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Affairs Office, Taiwan’s representative office in Washington, and the Tennessee-based Premiere Speakers Bureau, a private events organiser that represented Pompeo. It’s unclear, however, which Taiwanese body ended up footing the bill. In a press statement in response to the leak, the government-affiliated Prospect Foundation said it signed the contract with Pompeo.
The leaked contract stipulated for Pompeo an honorarium of US$150,000, one round-trip first-class air ticket and a stay at the Grand Hyatt Taipei or its equivalent – along with three business-class tickets. There was nothing wrong with all that. Out of government, influential Western politicians can command top dollar for giving speeches and advice around the world.
What was problematic, though, was that the government of President Tsai Ing-wen failed to disclose Pompeo’s was a paid visit; instead, it was advertised as America’s show of support at a time of rising political tensions with the war in Ukraine and with mainland China. Given Pompeo’s tweet, which made global headlines by calling for US recognition of Taiwan’s independence, the full nature of the financial arrangement for the visit was clearly a matter of public, if not global interest.
United Daily News further claimed Pompeo was working for Anarock Global Partners, a New York-headquartered investment fund, which has been lobbying for business with Taiwan’s labour and pension funds as well as its National Development Fund (NDF).
In response, however, Kung Ming-hsin, the head of the National Development Council which oversees the NDF, said during their meeting, he and Pompeo discussed no such business, but only the global economic outlook.
Since the exposé, the Taiwanese government, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the opposition have gone mostly quiet. As much as the opposition wants to discredit Tsai, they don’t want to antagonise Pompeo, a man who is clearly going places in US politics, perhaps even to the White House.
Pundits pontificate on grand politics; real politicians nickel-and-dime you. As they say, always follow the money.
Alex Lo has been a Post columnist since 2012, covering major issues affecting Hong Kong and the rest of China. A journalist for 25 years, he has worked for various publications in Hong Kong and Toronto as a news reporter and editor. He has also lectured in journalism at the University of Hong Kong.