The China Post
Date: October 5, 20170
By: Shih Hsiu-chuan  

TAIPEI (CNA) Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy is the country’s “regional strategy for

Presidential advisor Michael Hsiao remarked on Oct. 3 that President Tsai’s New Southbound Policy could help Taiwan integrate itself more deeply into the South and Southeast Asia regions. (CNA)

Asia,” as the country used to identify itself only with Northeast Asia but now wants to integrate itself more deeply into the South and Southeast Asia regions, presidential advisor Michael Hsiao (蕭新煌) said Tuesday.

Hsiao was briefing the press on the Yushan Forum, a major initiative of the President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) administration aimed at establishing the country’s role in the changing regional dynamics by creating an institutionalized multilateral dialogue platform on cooperation. It is slated to be launched Oct. 11.

A leading pioneer in Southeast Asian studies, Hsiao told reporters that what he has observed in his long-term research is that “we [Taiwan] actually play no role in Asia.” That is partly due to the fact that the Taiwanese society as a whole has long identified itself more strongly with Northeast Asia and has lost sight of countries in South and Southeast Asia, Hsiao said. “With the New Southbound Policy in place, we are trying to reassert our role.”    [FULL  STORY]