Since the 1970s, Indonesia and Taiwan have maintained a positive relationship. In 1970, Indonesia set up an official trade office in Taipei. Taiwan reciprocated by establishing its representative office in Jakarta the following year.
During 52 years of bilateral ties, people-to-people interactions between Indonesia and Taiwan have significantly strengthened both countries’ relations. Hundreds of thousands of the Indonesian diaspora have moved to Taiwan over the past five decades to work and study. Many have decided to stay in Taiwan.
On Nov. 25, the National Immigration Agency reported that there are 237,049 Indonesians living in Taiwan. Indonesians are the second-largest group of foreign residents in Taiwan after Vietnamese. Living harmoniously in Taiwanese society, across the nation’s 22 administrative regions, they play a vital role in Taiwan’s social and economic life.
The Indonesian diaspora is essential for Taiwan.
A diaspora is a transnational community from the same homeland who have migrated to other lands but preserve their national identity. This group maintains cultural ties with its homeland and promotes traditional values in the lands they settle in. The Indonesian diaspora in Taiwan refers to Indonesian citizens who are living across the nation and continue to maintain Indonesia’s cultures and traditions.
Migrant workers make up the main group of the Indonesian diaspora. They work in factories and as caregivers in households, and they have become integral to daily life in Taiwan. Indonesian caregivers, for instance, assist thousands of Taiwanese families by caring for older people.
Its aging society and declining birthrate are severe challenges for Taiwan.
The National Development Council predicts that Taiwan is to become a super-aged society by 2025, when 20 percent of the total population is 65 or older.
The country is expected to have the lowest birthrate in the world with 1.12 births per woman in 2035. Consequently, dependents are forecast exceed the number of working-age people by 2060.
The growing dependent population has led the government to invite more foreign workers to Taiwan. As one of the countries targeted by the New Southbound Policy, Indonesia supplies 33.9 percent of Taiwan’s total foreign workers. It contributes to solving the problem of Taiwan’s labor shortage.
Indonesian migrant workers are important for Taiwan’s economy and can serve as agents of Indonesian cultural diplomacy. In collaboration with other groups in the Indonesian diaspora, such as students and spouses of Taiwanese, they regularly organize public events to enhance Indonesia’s positive image.
The Indonesian diaspora has established the Indonesian Diaspora Network (IDN), which has worked hard to facilitate cultural exchanges between the Indonesian diaspora and Taiwanese, helping to bridge the gap between the cultures of Indonesia and Taiwan.
To celebrate National Batik Day on Oct. 2, the IDN held the annual Batik and Ecoprint Festival at National Taiwan Museum’s Nanmen Park branch, where Taiwanese were able to learn the art of batik, a traditional wax-resist dyeing technique of printing using flowers and leaves, as well as enjoy traditional Indonesian classical dance, music, cuisine and a batik fashion show with members of the Indonesian diaspora.
IDN members also teach the Indonesian language in Taiwan’s schools to support the Ministry of Education’s policy to incorporate Southeast Asian languages into the elementary and junior-high curricula. Through the program, Taiwanese students can learn about any issues regarding Indonesian culture.
This policy is necessary because Taiwan needs to accommodate the rising number of descendants of new immigrant families.
A critical issue is the view of Indonesian Muslim women wearing a hijab. Learning of the religious meanings of the hijab would lead to more understanding and respect for the Muslim community.
Taiwan considers such an environment as the key to the global halal market. The government thus invests in Muslim tourism by installing Islamic prayer rooms in many tourist areas and transportation hubs. As the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia can also help Taiwan provide a Muslim-friendly environment.
The Indonesian diaspora supports the effort through activities conducted by the special branch of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization. NU has been involved in the government’s initiative to release a halal certificate for food products and restaurants. The cooperation between the two parties has increased the number of halal-certified restaurants in Taiwan to 250.
It indicates that the Indonesian diaspora is a potential partner for Taiwan’s public and private sectors. Therefore, similar cooperation needs to be extended to other areas to benefit both nations.
A. Safril Mubah is an assistant professor of international relations at the Airlangga University in Indonesia and a Taiwan Fellowship scholar at National Chengchi University.
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