Tien, Chung-kwang
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
December 15, 2021
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Namaste! Good day, my dear Indian friends.
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), it is a pleasure to deliver a few remarks at this online exposition.
First, I would like to thank the Program Office for the Taiwan Education Center in India at National Tsing Hua University for organizing this meaningful event. Student exchanges are an important bridge between nations, so this exposition is helping bring Taiwan-India relations even closer.
More importantly, today's event offers a platform for matchmaking Indian students with Taiwanese universities. It also provides opportunities for students to kick-start careers with Taiwanese enterprises.
The number of Indian students in Taiwan has grown dramatically over the past few years. In fact, since 2017, the figure has doubled to around 3,000. It is my belief that thanks to Taiwan's successful efforts to contain COVID-19, together with our affordable tuition fees, high-quality education, convenient and efficient healthcare system, and open and inclusive society, we can convince even more Indian students to pursue their higher education here. And after graduating, these students can serve as market navigators between Taiwan and India.
Acknowledging the necessity of restructuring global supply chains, the Indian government is currently seeking collaboration through a range of new schemes and policies. Its vision is to position India as a global hub for manufacturing.
In this respect, as in many others, India is truly a land of opportunities for Taiwan. The figures attest to this. Since 2000, bilateral trade has grown more than fivefold, from one billion US dollars to almost five billion US dollars in 2020. To date, nearly 130 Taiwanese companies, including Foxconn and Wistron, have set up operations in India. These firms have invested 2.3 billion US dollars in such fields as ICT, medical devices, automobile components, machinery, steel, electronics, construction, engineering, and financial services. Taiwanese companies feel confident about entering the Indian market because India provides tremendous business opportunities.
These initiatives have also raised demand for human resources. Indian students who have studied in Taiwan and are familiar with our language and culture could well be the talent that Taiwanese businesses are looking for. I firmly believe that our two nations' expertise, technology, and abundant human resources will create a winning combination.
In closing, I wish today's event every success, and all of you the best of health and happiness. Thank you!