Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-10-10

President Tsai Ing-wen highlighted the New Southbound policy during her National Day

President Tsai Ing-wen delivers her National Day address on October 10. (Photo/CNA)

address on Tuesday “to give Taiwan a more advantageous position in the international community.” The policy aims to enhance Taiwan’s economic and cultural ties with Southeast Asia, South Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Tsai said Taiwan’s trade with New Southbound target countries has grown by 20%. She also said the number of overseas students enrolled in technical programs in Taiwan is rapidly increasing as well. She said the government is providing overseas credit guarantees for small and medium enterprises seeking to invest in Southeast Asia. This year, the government has created a new platform for working with Southeast Asian countries to fight the dengue epidemic. The Taiwan-governed Taiping Island in the South China Sea is also being built into a center for humanitarian assistance in the region.

Tsai said Taiwan is ready to create new security concepts with humanitarianism as the core in the face of threats from traditional and non-traditional security challenges. She said, “In response [to these challenges], major democracies around the world are adjusting their foreign policy. They are seeking ways to merge traditional and non-traditional issues and consolidate government and civil society forces. Taiwan is responding to these international trends by placing humanitarianism at the center of our security perspective. This is the meaning behind the Yushan Forum, which will be held tomorrow. We want to place Taiwan at the forefront of promoting innovation and progressive values across the Asia-Pacific.”    [FULL  STORY]