A forum in Taipei on Friday discussed the future of the nation’s New Southbound Policy in a post-COVID-19 world.
The policy, introduced in 2016, aims to boost interactions between Taiwan, ASEAN and South Asian nations in human resources, industry, investment, education, culture, tourism and agriculture.
Taiwan should find ways to enhance its strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific region, in addition to attracting economic investment and encouraging talent exchanges, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) told the forum, which was initiated by the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation and hosted by the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister newspaper of the Taipei Times).
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The New Southbound Policy should be more compatible with policies enacted by other countries in the region, especially as the international community turns its attention toward the Indo-Pacific region amid growing concern about stability in the Taiwan Strait area, he said.
ASEAN policies are focused on strengthening its bloc, while Taiwan’s regional policies are geared more toward trade, education and fostering talent, Tien said, adding that it is perhaps time for Taiwan to discuss how to broaden its scope and view in the region.
Citing how the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in March included climate change, vaccines and emerging technologies, he said that regional policies should not become overly focused on military issues.
“It is of utmost importance that Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy find ways to connect with this trend,” Tien said.
One option is to expand Taiwan’s Global Cooperation and Training Framework collaboration with the US and Japan, he said.
Taiwan has worked with the US under the framework since 2015, holding more than 30 international seminars in fields such as public health, law enforcement, disaster relief, energy cooperation, women’s empowerment, the digital economy, cybersecurity and media literacy, attracting 2,500 attendees from more than 90 countries, he said.
Such fields correspond with the government’s New Southbound Policy, he added.
Minister Without Portfolio John Deng (鄧振中) said that Taiwan could attract students from the 18 countries included in the policy, to mitigate the impact of the nation’s declining birthrate.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s relaxation of regulations for the medical industry could also lead to growth, especially with innovations in telemedicine, he said.
Taiwan should also step up its investments in Southeast Asia to benefit from the reorganization of the global supply chain, he said.
Non-governmental organizations such as the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation can play a role in the policy’s influence, as foundations have a wider reach than the government, Deng said.
Foundation chairman Michael Hsiao (蕭新煌), who is also a presidential adviser, said that government units and the private sector, led by the foundation, should meet at the end of this year to discuss a new direction for the policy.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
RSS