Taiwan's Focus on Schools - NYTimes.com Re "Pass the Books. Hold the Oil," by Thomas L. Friedman (column, March 11): As a Taiwan citizen, I feel honored by Mr. Friedman's column, not just because he says Taiwan is his favorite country aside from his own, but because he likes how Taiwan's economic achievement is based on education. Indeed, if one were to assess a country's worth by its natural resources, Taiwan is not an ideal place to develop an economy. The island is small and mountainous; there is no oil or iron; frequent earthquakes and typhoons cause infrastructural damage. Yet we adhere to a principle similar to "God helps those who help themselves" and believe that education is the bedrock of a nation's competitiveness. How do we put this belief into action? A key element is that our government invests in the quality of public school teachers. Talented people are attracted to the teaching profession because of the job security, decent salary and good benefits it promises. As a result, the most competitive schools in Taiwan are public. Of course, our economic achievements are also due in part to financial and infrastructural support from the international community after World War II. Taiwan believes that the best way to express our gratitude to the world is to establish itself as an economic powerhouse in its own right and to become a provider of foreign aid and make a global impact. BRIAN SU Director, Press Division Taipei Economic and Cultural Office New York, March 12, 2012