ABSTRACT
In keeping with both its long-standing position as one of the world's leading trading nations and its recently formulated activist diplomacy, the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan has assumed an increasingly assertive role with regard to transnational issues. One of the most obvious was the ROC's overwhelming dependence on the United States (US) market. This dependence was combined with a large imbalance of trade in Taiwan's favor, and occurred at the time of a fast-growing US budget deficit. In common with most developing countries, the ROC paid relatively little attention to environmental issues while concentrating on efforts to strengthen its economy. Cognizant of the deleterious effect that opium had on nineteenth century China, the ROC government has had strict anti-narcotics laws from its inception. The ROC, as a founding member of the United Nations, signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Taiwan has undertaken impressive efforts to democratize and improve its own human rights situation.
