François Chihchung Wu
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
May 21, 2026
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Your Excellency Robert Kennedy Lewis, Ambassador of Saint Lucia and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps;
Excellencies Ambassadors and Honorable Representatives;
Dear scholarship recipients;
Deputy Minister of Education Liu Kuo-wei;
Ladies and gentlemen:
Good afternoon.
It is a great joy to be here with you all today. I would like to begin by sincerely congratulating all the scholarship recipients who are now graduating.
I believe your time in Taiwan has been more than an academic journey. I hope it has been an adventure filled with friendships, moments of discovery, and memories that will stay with you long after you leave. Today marks not only the conclusion of one chapter, but, more importantly, the beginning of a new one.
The Taiwan Scholarship Program is a key pillar of Taiwan’s international youth engagement. This year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered scholarships to 520 promising young people from our diplomatic allies and like-minded partners, a significant increase from previous years. This effort demonstrates Taiwan’s strong commitment to contributing to the education of talented young people from our important allies and partners.
Yesterday also marked the second anniversary of President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration. Under his leadership, Taiwan’s economy has demonstrated remarkable dynamism, with GDP in the first quarter of 2026 expanding by 13.7 percent year-on-year. Taiwan is not only a vital hub in global supply chains, but also a reliable partner, committed to contributing more actively to the international community by sharing our experience, strengthening resilience with like-minded partners, and working together to address global challenges.
These achievements demonstrate that choosing Taiwan as a place to study is both forward-looking and full of opportunity. You, our graduates, have likewise shown outstanding vision and foresight by choosing Taiwan for your studies in the first place.
As you move forward, I hope that you will continue to support Taiwan and help foster even closer ties between our nations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our overseas missions have established 95 Taiwan Alumni Associations around the world, and you are most welcome to become part of this vibrant network.
And in closing, I wish you all every success. Thank you.