Tien, Chung-kwang
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Sepember 30, 2022
(As Delivered)
Ladies and gentlemen:
Good morning!
It is a great pleasure to host the opening ceremony for the 2022 New Southbound Policy Elite Study Program. On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I extend a very warm welcome to our fellowship recipients and distinguished guests.
The New Southbound Policy was launched by President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016. Among other things, the initiative embraces a new approach toward developing talent through people-to-people interactions.
By focusing on people-centric bilateral exchanges and resource-sharing, the policy is making Taiwan's higher education even more attractive to students from Southeast Asia and South Asia. Therefore a new generation of elite scholars will be connected to the vehicle to serve the benefit of this area.
This year, for the very first time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has collaborated with Taipei Medical University, National Taipei University of Technology, and National Quemoy University to establish the New Southbound Policy Elite Study Program. It has attracted more than 250 applicants from our key partner countries—namely India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. All of you sitting here now, congratulations! You should be proud.
Given the solid foundations and advantages Taiwan has made in the areas of medical science and the semiconductor industry, this program will allow you to gain academic expertise in a wide range of areas. These include biomedicine, neuroscience, healthcare management, oral hygiene, AI, informatics, and semiconductor engineering. Taiwan's unique geostrategic position will also reinforce your understanding of regional security and international relations from a broader perspective.
Taiwan's diverse culture and customs make it more enjoyable learning Mandarin as well as easier to make new friends for you. Your presence will deepen mutual understanding among Taiwan and our New Southbound Policy partners. This program will help cultivate the next generation of global citizens.
Before I close, I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to our three partner universities for working with us to launch the New Southbound Policy Elite Study Program. This program would not have been possible without your tireless efforts.
I hope our fellowship students have a pleasant time in Taiwan and soak up as much of our culture and know-how as they can. And with that, I wish this program every success. Thank you!