Tien, Chung-kwang
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
April 26, 2024
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Ladies and gentlemen:
Good afternoon!
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), it is a great pleasure to attend this important event today. We are gathered to confer academic achievement awards upon MOFA Taiwan Scholarship recipients and appoint them Taiwan Alumni Association (TAA) campus ambassadors.
Established in 2004, the MOFA Taiwan Scholarship program is widely recognized by diplomatic allies and partner countries around the world. As the program has advanced, MOFA has striven to implement innovations that adapt to allies’ needs and better serve scholarship recipients. For instance, we have recently increased the quota for the number of scholarships awarded, raised monthly stipends by an additional 3,000 NT dollars, and revised program guidelines to better match students’ learning environment and conditions. In addition, we have established these academic achievement awards for outstanding performance to encourage students to pursue excellence in their Mandarin learning and academic studies.
Once scholarship recipients graduate from the program, we seek to maintain our close bonds of friendship through TAAs established by our overseas missions. To date, 88 TAAs have been established in locations across the globe. And to increase interactions with TAA alumni and provide them with timely Taiwan-related information, MOFA launched a centralized TAA Facebook page last November.
Today, MOFA is assigning its award-winners a crucial task by appointing them TAA campus ambassadors. Being a campus ambassador will mean promoting friendship between Taiwan and your country through your TAA. And in particular, we hope you will encourage even more alumni to join MOFA’s TAA Facebook page and actively participate in future TAA activities.
MOFA’s TAA Facebook page is proving to be an effective tool for stimulating interaction among TAA alumni around the world—especially those from the younger generation. This platform can serve as a hub for connecting with fellow alumni, sharing experiences, and promoting Taiwan-related events and initiatives. We look forward to you playing a vital role in extending the power of this platform, reaching out to potential new followers, and engaging with TAA communities both at home and abroad. I hope you will seize the opportunity to share your experiences and maintain close ties between Taiwan and your home country.
In closing, I wish you all every success in your continuing studies and your mission as campus ambassadors. I am sure this unique role will enrich your experience of Taiwan and allow you to return home with even fonder memories of your time here.
With that, I wish everyone the best of health and happiness. Thank you!