Twenty-four young agricultural ambassadors are to leave for Indonesia and the Philippines at the end of this month to promote agricultural cooperation with the two New Southbound Policy countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
The ministry held a flag awarding ceremony for the ambassadors selected for the program, which was been resumed after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program is organized to echo the policy, which has been implemented by the government for seven “fruitful years,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) said.
Photo: Taipei Times
Leveraging Taiwan’s advantages in agriculture, an important part of the policy, the program aims to assist young agricultural talent in building an international network of contacts, exploring potential markets and promoting the sustainable development of Taiwan’s agriculture.
The ambassadors are to conduct on-site inspections of the agricultural development and business opportunities in Indonesia and the Philippines, visit local agriculture, fishery and animal husbandry-related businesses and engage in exchanges with locals from industry, government and academia, the ministry said.
It is hoped that a deeper understanding of the countries gained through the trip could boost cooperation in agriculture between Taiwan and the two countries, it said.
Taiwan has launched several landmark cooperation projects with Indonesia and the Philippines, including an agricultural demonstration zone in Karawang and a demonstration mushroom farm in Baguio City, Tien said.
Tien encouraged the ambassadors to experience local cultures, languages, fashion and other aspects, and to make many friends.
Council of Agriculture Deputy Minister Chen Tian-shou (陳添壽) said that he hoped the ambassadors could serve as key connections between Taiwan and New Southbound Policy countries in agriculture, as the government would like to expand cooperation on food security with them.
The program was launched in 2017 and has so far sent 90 young Taiwanese with backgrounds in agriculture to the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and India for field studies and exchanges, the ministry said.
Separately, the government held an international workshop with the US, Japan, Australia and Saint Lucia to share insights on tackling maritime challenges, the ministry said.
The ministry, the Ocean Affairs Council and the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction came together with the embassies and missions of the four countries to hold the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) workshop on Maritime Disaster Measures in Taipei on Wednesday and yesterday.
Nearly 30 officials and experts on marine environment and disaster prevention from 13 countries in the Indo-Pacific region and the Caribbean were invited to share the challenges faced by each country, such as tsunamis and marine pollution, as well as their response strategies, the ministry said.
Participants went to Keelung yesterday to see a Chiayi-class patrol vessel and visit the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, it said.
The workshop embodied the nation’s efforts and commitment to cooperate with GCTF partner countries to promote the sustainability and safety of the marine environment, it added.
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