An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy

An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy

PDF dawnload   https://www.ey.gov.tw/File/550053774F804501?A=C

1 ContentS Overview Economic and Trade Cooperation Talent Exchanges Resource Sharing Institutional Links and Connectivity Conclusion Appendix p.02 p.08 p.12 p.18 p.24 p.28 p.31 3 Overview The New Southbound Policy is a crucial part of Taiwan’s economic and trade strategy in the face of increasing regional economic integration as well as new challenges and business opportunities linked to the integration trend. Taiwan is an integral member of the Asia-Pacific family and has participated extensively in the global value chain of popular technology products. It is keen to share its experience and know-how in this as well as other areas. 2 Overview An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy The Taiwanese government under President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) aims to pursue bilateral partnerships and promote exchanges of talent, capital, technology, culture and education. 4 An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 5 “The goal of the New Southbound Policy is simple and clear,” according to Minister Without Portfolio and Office of Trade Negotiations head John Deng (鄧振中). Under the New Southbound Policy initiative, Taiwan intends to engage in a wide range of negotiations and dialogue with 18 countries: Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Brunei in Southeast Asia; India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan in South Asia; as well as New Zealand and Australia. The partnership is aimed at achieving multifaceted cooperation and establishing mutual prosperity, the minister said. No Hidden Agenda The initiative does not seek to advance Taiwan’s geopolitical stature or influence, but intends for Taiwan to play a proactive role in the region by expanding and enhancing trade cooperation with neighboring countries through resource sharing and people-to-people exchanges, says Minister Deng, whose Office of Trade Negotiations has been tasked with coordinating implementation of the policy. Emerging markets in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asian countries have seen rapid economic growth as a result of structural changes in the global supply chain. In recent years, the 10-member Southeast Asian trade bloc has evolved into Taiwan’s second-largest export market and investment destination. However, with a population of 1.7 billion and combined GDP growth of 7.4 percent in the next five years, the South Asian market demands equal attention. Rather than viewing ASEAN and South Asia as mere manufacturing bases as had been the case in the past, the Taiwanese government under President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) aims to pursue bilateral partnerships and promote exchanges of talent, capital, technology, culture and education. The government has set the ball rolling to forge new partnerships with those countries, connecting with their domestic markets, and cooperating on infrastructure and other construction projects. “Taiwan has considerable expertise and experience in the development of industrial supply chains and is willing to share its knowledge and resources,” Minister Deng says. The New Southbound Policy does not aim to compete against mainland China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, which emphasises on improving regional infrastructure — with a focus on people, the New Southbound Policy intends to support tourism, education, medical, technology, small and medium enterprises, and agriculture in the ASEAN markets and South Asia. The policy consists of four main aspects: economic and trade collaboration, people-to-people exchanges, resource sharing, and promoting of institutional links. Economic and Trade Collaboration Taiwan’s trade ties with ASEAN countries have gained rapid traction in recent years. Exports to the region reached US$32.90 billion in the first seven months of 2017, an increase of 14.73 percent from the same period last year. Outbound shipments to South Asia totaled more than US$2.9 billion as of the first 7 months, rising 10.29 percent from a year earlier and reversing a decline of 3.87 percent for the whole of 2016. Apart from exports, Taiwanese firms have made hefty investments in the region, with Taiwanese direct investments adding up to US$97 billion, according to official government tallies. Taiwan’s main economic strengths lie in its advanced technology, talented people and a diversified culture, and the New Southbound Policy consequently intends to promote cooperation with the target countries in fields such as medical care, education, technology, agriculture, and tourism. With a high degree of complementarity between Taiwan and the partner countries, the government has encouraged supply chain integration in such sectors as information and communications technology (ICT), industries driven by domestic demand, energy and petrochemicals, agriculture, and financial services. One example of this is MediaTek Inc (聯發科), the world’s top contract chip designer, with its headquarters in Hsinchu, Taiwan. In December last year, MediaTek invited 42 executives and senior engineers from Indian smartphone vendors, including Micromax Informatics Ltd, to take part in a six-week handset hardware design development program in Taiwan. The program has made a substantial contribution in helping India meet its rising demand for smartphone hardware and systems design professionals. ▲President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), left, and Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁). Overview 18target countries Australia Bangladesh Bhutan India Nepal New Zealand Pakistan Sri Lanka Brunei Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ▲ Yushan Forum: Asian Dialogue for Innovation and Progress is a newly launched annual platform for regional dialogue that aims to promote the exchange of ideas, gathering of talent and sharing of soft power for innovation and progress across the Asia Pacific. By bringing together prominent leaders, thinkers, organizers and innovators from the region and across the globe, the goal of the Yushan Forum is to foster initiatives for regional cooperation — particularly in cultivating human capital through increased connectivity. 6 Overview An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 7 “Taiwanese companies need to groom technicians and management executives in the target countries, which lack sufficient staffers to enable expansion into those markets,” Deng says. People-to-people Exchanges Whether the goal is fostering closer multilateral friendships or co-prosperity, people-to-people exchanges lie at the core of the New Southbound Policy. To help achieve this goal, the Ministry of Education has approved plans for public and private universities to recruit students from those countries. Students from the target countries can enroll in Taiwan’s four-year universities or two-year colleges, and qualified candidates can apply for internships and scholarships. Taiwan’s schools and technical colleges also offer for-credit courses for second-generation immigrants who want to study Southeast Asian languages, and textbooks in languages from those countries are being compiled. Subsidies are available to help immigrants’ children explore their cultural roots by encouraging scholastic exchanges between Taiwan and the New Southbound Policy countries. Taiwan government is setting up a New Southbound Policy personnel recruitment website and a platform for Taiwanese companies to register and tap staffers for opportunities linked to the New Southbound Policy. The government is also encouraging second-generation immigrants in Taiwan to spend some time in their parents’ native countries so that they can better learn about their heritage and later act as a bridge between Taiwan and these countries by helping firms and people in Taiwan understand the language, culture, and customs. Second-generation immigrants are believed to have competitive advantages in this area in light of their cultural and educational background. Resource Sharing While building trade and talent links, Taiwan is willing to share its achievements and resources with partner countries in Southeast and South Asia. Extensive cooperation can be found in the fields of medicine, agriculture and tourism. Taiwan has long cooperated with its Southeast Asian partners in epidemic prevention, birth control, and treatment of rare diseases and medical conditions, as well as engaging in public health planning at governmental level. The nation’s affordable universal healthcare system and hospital efficiency have been the envy of not only other Asian nations, but many countries around the world. Malaysia is one of the countries that has tried to copy the successful Taiwanese healthcare model, and Indonesian health officials and experts have been talking about integrating aspects of the Taiwanese model into the Indonesian healthcare system. Advantech Co Ltd (研華), Taiwan’s biggest industrial computer maker, has developed a healthcare information system that integrates surgical instruments with embedded information systems to enable the complete digitization of hospital management. A digital registration system and electronic medical records are essential to an efficient healthcare system. “The government and business sectors are eager to help partner countries develop an effective and cost-efficient healthcare system,” the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s International Cooperation Office Technical Superintendent Hsu Min-huei (許明暉) says. The nation’s hospitals are also looking for medical interns from Southeast Asian countries to help them gain professional know-how and skills that would enable them to make contributions upon their return to their home countries. In order to implement a people-centered New Southbound Policy, Taiwan has added Thailand and Brunei to its visa-waiver program, which already includes other New Southbound countries, including Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore. Nationals of Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam can apply online for the R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate if they hold one of the following documents: (1) permanent resident certificates issued by Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Schengen Agreement signatories, the United Kingdom, or the United States; (2) a visa or a resident card issued by the aforementioned countries that is valid or expired less than 10 years prior to the date of arrival in Taiwan; (3) an entry visa (except visas bearing the remark FL or X) or resident card (excluding with stated purpose of residence being foreign laborer) issued by the R.O.C. in the past 10 years. In addition, tourist groups from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam are eligible to apply for an eVisa (free of charge). The easing of visa restrictions has already borne fruit, as evidenced by a more than 50 percent increase in the number of tourists from Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, according to official tourism statistics. The Cabinet is also considering the possibility of further visa facilitation measures for the New Southbound Policy partner countries. Promoting Institutional Links Taiwan’s exchanges with governments in New Southbound Policy countries have grown broader and more frequent, and have been conducted at higher levels since the launch of the New Southbound Policy last year. Apart from state-run enterprises, Taiwan’s financial institutions, trade groups, research bodies and local governments have all joined the effort to enhance institutional links. Furthermore, the government is inviting schools as well as religious, cultural, artistic, industrial and commercial groups to do the same. It has already engaged in active dialogues with some of the partner countries as Taiwan seeks to sign or update investment protection agreements with all 18 countries under the New Southbound Policy. The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS) to boost economic exchanges and explore investment opportunities. The information and communication technology (ICT) industry is expected to drive 40 percent of Sri Lanka’s GDP in the next five years and boost its education, manufacturing, medical, and transportation sectors, TAITRA president and chief executive officer Walter Yeh (葉明水) said after the ceremony. Sri Lanka expressed hope that the memorandum could serve as a cornerstone for more economic and cultural exchanges. In addition, the Taiwanese state-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has inked a similar agreement with Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency to promote cooperation on innovative applications. Information and communication technology is Taiwan’s biggest industrial strength, drawing clients from around the world and accounting for more than 30 percent of all exports. ■ ▲ Hsu Min-huei (許明暉), International Cooperation Office Technical Superintendent, Ministry of Health and Welfare (衛生福利部). The government and business sectors are eager to help partner countries develop an effective and cost-efficient healthcare system. The accumulated foreign direct investment from Taiwan in the 18 countries targeted by the New Southbound Policy reached US$97 billion by mid-2017. 8 Economic and Trade Cooperation An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 9 As a member of the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan aims to reposition itself as a more meaningful player in the region’s rapidly growing markets. Over the past few decades, Taiwanese companies in traditional labour-intensive manufacturing industries — such as footwear, bicycles, textiles, and garments — have developed ways to explore business opportunities in South and Southeast Asia. The accumulated foreign direct investment (FDI) from Taiwan in the 18 countries targeted by the New Southbound Policy reached US$97 billion by mid-2017, according to data compiled by the Office of Trade Negotiations, Executive Yuan, the Cabinet-level agency responsible for coordinating implementation of the New Southbound Policy Program. Taiwan is the third-largest foreign investor in Thailand, with cumulative investment of US$14.1 billion, and the fourth-largest investor in Malaysia (US$12.2 billion) as well as Vietnam (US$31.2 billion). In 2016 alone, total merchandise trade between Taiwan and the 18 New Southbound Policy countries amounted to US$96 billion, accounting for 18.8 percent of Taiwan’s global merchandise trade that year. A New Mindset Eyeing long-term growth momentum in the 18 New Southbound Policy partner countries, the government has launched a series of measures to promote closer partnerships with South and Southeast Asian nations, as well as Australia and New Zealand, hoping to develop reciprocal trade deals throughout the region. While it is not the first time that the government has encouraged companies to “head south”, the mindset of the New Southbound Policy is significantly different, said Y.C. Tsai (蔡允中), Executive Officer of the Office of Trade Negotiations. “The southbound policies of former administrations were more supply-oriented, as policymakers back then only thought about how to export Taiwanese products to the region,” he said. However, President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration hopes to shift the focus to the actual needs of its neighbours, taking local characteristics into account, the Office of Trade Negotiations said. Under the program, Taiwan has been setting up a “Taiwan Desk” in some target countries to integrate local resources and help Taiwanese enterprises abroad gain access to useful business information. Regional Partnerships The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) has been helping local firms develop a profound understanding of Southeast Asian nations. As for financial support, the government is offering credit guarantee funds and working on signing and renewing bilateral investment protection agreements with the 18 partner countries, with the aim of providing a more favorable investment environment. The Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) has also inked agreements with other exchanges in Southeast Asia to promote securities trading throughout the region. New Exports and a New Brand Image The government hopes to reshape Taiwan’s industrial brand image by helping Taiwanese companies export new services, including education, health and medical care, and dining. Economic and Trade Cooperation ▲ Left: Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) President and CEO Officer Walter Yeh (葉明水), left, and Sri Lanka Federation of Information Technology Industry chairman Kithsiri Manchanayakke present an agreement to develop business relations between Taiwan and Sri Lanka on June 1, 2017. Right: The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI, 工研院) signed a memorandum of understanding on innovative application cooperation with Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development in Thailand on June 1, 2017. ▲ Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) Chairman James Huang (黃志芳), left, and India-Taipei Association Director-General Sridharan Madhusudhanan attend the launch of the council’s India Center in Taipei on April 26, 2017. 10 Economic and Trade Cooperation An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 11 ▲ More skyscrapers are being built to reshape Bangkok’s skyline. Taiwanese firms are targeting the emerging markets of Southeast Asia, which is home to a burgeoning population of more than 600 million people. Some Taiwanese firms have launched plans to expand their presence in Southeast Asian markets, including Taiwanese integrated steelmaker mainland China Steel Corp (中鋼), which owns a 25 percent stake in Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp (台塑河靜鋼鐵興業), a joint venture with Formosa Plastics Group (台塑集團) in Vietnam’s Ha Tinh Province. Formosa Ha Tinh Steel is the largest foreign direct investment venture in Vietnam and is expected to achieve full operating capacity of 7 million tonnes in 2019. The steelmaker’s business strategy came as the firm eyes the potential zero-tariff benefits brought by Vietnam’s free-trade agreement with other ASEAN nations, mainland China Steel chairman Wong Chao-tung (翁朝棟) says. Products manufactured by Formosa Ha Tinh Steel would be exempt from Vietnam’s trade tariffs, as the investment project meets the required 40 percent local-content threshold, Wong says. In comparison, the Vietnamese government ordinarily imposes tariffs of 15 to 33 percent on steel imports from Taiwan. Two leading Taiwanese companies from the textile and apparel industry — Eclat Textile Co (儒鴻) and Far Eastern New Century Corp (FENC, 遠東新世紀) — are also expanding their presence in Southeast Asia, which has a growing number of skilled workers and emerging industry clusters throughout the region. Eclat — which has over many years built up a solid partnership with global sportswear brands such as Nike, Under Armour and Lululemon — dissolved its wholly owned clothing plant in mainland China in 2016, primarily due to soaring labour costs. However, Eclat plans to raise output at two of its Vietnamese plants in the coming years, boosting its monthly production capacity from nearly 6.2 million units of clothing to 7.5 million. Meanwhile, FENC has allocated more than US$700 million to create a complete supply chain for fabrics and garments in Southeast Asia, in a bid to reduce reliance on its two major production bases, Taiwan and mainland China. FENC expects Vietnam to become its third-largest production base after a capacity expansion project is completed in 2020. Aided by expanded capacity in Vietnam, revenue generated at the Vietnamese plant is likely to generate as much as 30 percent of the firm’s total sales in 2020, up from less than 5 percent in 2017. Besides Vietnam, some other Southeast Asian nations, such as Thailand and Malaysia, have been trying to attract foreign investment by providing tax exemptions. Thailand’s Board of Investment, for instance, offers corporate income tax exemption for up to 13 years, and import duty exemption on goods imported for research and development purposes. Kenda Rubber Industrial Co (建大輪胎), one of Taiwan’s major tire manufacturers, has operated plants in Vietnam for 20 years and plans to raise its production capacity in the country further. The tire maker said its new plant in Vietnam — which is scheduled to begin operations in the third quarter of 2017 — would gradually replace the position of its plant in mainland China’s Kunshan, where the firm produces most of its car tires. The decision to expand capacity in Southeast Asia reflects not only the attraction of a cheaper workforce, but also a need to increase exposure to potential customers in the region, Kenda said. Growing Customer Base Some Taiwanese firms are also targeting Southeast Asia’s burgeoning population of more than 600 million people, which represents a potential market with plenty of young customers. Some online service providers have also expressed interest in Southeast Asian markets, saying the expanding middle class in the region is expected to be the next growth driver for the industry. “Given increasingly tough competition in Taiwan’s saturated market, we are seeking business potential in new markets,” says Sega Cheng (程世嘉), chief executive officer of iKala Interactive Media Inc (愛卡拉互動媒體), which offers live-streaming cloud services. The Taipei-based service provider plans to tap into Indonesia’s and Thailand’s booming Internet services markets in the near term, due to wider consumer acceptance of foreign brands there. Citing a lack of Internet infrastructure and experienced talent in the region, Cheng says it is not too late for Taiwanese service providers to expand their presence in Southeast Asia. ■ ▲ Left: Taiwanese tiremaker Kenda Rubber Industrial Co’s (建大輪胎) plant in Ho Nai Industrial Zone in Vietnam’s southern Dong Nai Province. Right: The Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp’s (台塑河靜鋼鐵興業) Son Duong port and integrated steel mill complex is currently the biggest foreign direct investment project in Vietnam. The project allows us to cultivate top-quality talent for business and industry, and enhance people-to-people interactions while helping Taiwan’s colleges and universities to forge links with foreign students and deepen connections with ASEAN and South Asian countries. 12 Talent Exchanges An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 13 Two of the main aims of the New Southbound Policy are facilitating connections between people, and developing talent in ASEAN and South Asian countries through academic and jobtraining programs at Taiwanese colleges and universities. According to Minister Deng, the New Southbound Policy is to be built on a foundation of cultivating talented people to deepen bilateral ties and enhance cultural exchanges among students, academics, and industry professionals. “The government aims to attract more students from ASEAN countries and South Asia by expanding educational programs as well as the scale of scholarships,” Deng says. The number of students from these countries totalled 31,531 in 2016, an increase of almost 10 percent from 2015. “The goal is to have 20 percent annual growth and to reach 58,000 students by 2019,” Deng says. “Our government has established both funding and support programs for internships at companies and on-the-job training to attract more students from these countries.” Opening Doors to the World Taiwan has always welcomed international students in academic fields as well as those undergoing vocational training; now the doors have been opened up even wider, with more choices of schools and fields of study, and with greater access to scholarships and financial incentives, along with improved packages to offer financial support to students and trainees living and studying in Taiwan. The first phase of the New Southbound Policy and its talent development program focuses on India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, but efforts are under way to attract more qualified young people from other New Southbound Policy countries, including Australia and New Zealand. Ministry of Education Initiatives Talent cultivation and the educational development of young people are the goals of the Ministry of Education’s “Elite Study in Taiwan Project”, and the ministry has earmarked NT$1 billion to implement the New Southbound Talent Development Program. The project has drawn together 75 Taiwanese universities in a resource-sharing and collaborative consortium. ▲ Andy Cheu-An Bi (畢祖安), Department of International and Cross-Strait Education Director-General, Ministry of Education. 1 大同大學 Tatung University 2 大葉大學 Da Yeh University 3 中原大學 Chung Yuan Christian University 4 中國文化大學 Chinese Culture University 5 中國醫藥大學 China Medical University 6 中華大學 Chung Hua University 7 中華醫事科技大學 Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology 8 中臺科技大學 Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology 9 元培醫事科技大學 Yuanpei University of Medical Technology 10 文藻外語大學 Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages 11 世新大學 Shih Hsin University 12 弘光科技大學 Hungkuang University 13 亞洲大學 Asia University 14 和春技術學院 Fortune Institute of Technology 15 明志科技大學 Ming Chi University of Technology 16 明新科技大學 Minghsin University of Science and Technology 17 明道學校財團法人明道大學 MingDao University 18 東吳大學 Soochow University 19 東南科技大學 Tungnan University 20 東海大學 TungHai University 21 長庚大學 Chang Gung University 22 長榮大學 Chang Jung Christian University 23 南臺科技大學 Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology 24 高雄醫學大學 Kaoshiung Medical University 25 國立中山大學 National Sun Yat-sen University 26 國立中央大學 National Central University 27 國立中正大學 National Chung Cheng University 28 國立中興大學 National Chung Hsing University 29 國立交通大學 National Chiao Tung University 30 國立成功大學 National Cheng Kung University 31 國立宜蘭大學 National Ilan University 32 國立東華大學 National Dong Hwa University 33 國立虎尾科技大學 National Formosa University 34 國立屏東大學 National Pingtung University 35 國立屏東科技大學 National Pingtung University of Science and Technology 36 國立政治大學 National Chengchi University 37 國立高雄大學 National University of Kaohsiung 38 國立高雄師範大學 National Kaohsiung Normal University 2017 — 2018 Consortium Universities 聯盟學校名單 39 國立高雄第一科技大學 National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology 40 國立高雄餐旅大學 National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism 41 國立高雄應用科技大學 National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences 42 國立清華大學 National Tsing Hua University 43 國立陽明大學 National Yang-Ming University 44 國立雲林科技大學 National Yunlin University of Science and Technology 45 國立勤益科技大學 National Chin-Yi University of Technology 46 國立嘉義大學 National Chiayi University 47 國立彰化師範大學 National Changhua University of Education 48 國立暨南大學 National Chi Nan Unviersity 49 國立臺中教育大學 National Taichung University of Education 50 國立臺北大學 National Taipei University 51 國立臺北科技大學 National Taipei University of Technology 52 國立臺北商業大學 National Taipei University of Business 53 國立臺北教育大學 National Taipei University of Education 54 國立臺北藝術大學 Taipei National University of the Arts 55 國立臺北護理健康大學 National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science 56 國立臺灣大學 National Taiwan University 57 國立臺灣科技大學 National Taiwan University of Science and Technology 58 國立臺灣師範大學 National Taiwan Normal University 59 國立臺灣體育大學 Nationl Taiwan Sport University 60 國立聯合大學 National United University 61 崑山科技大學 Kun Shan University 62 淡江大學 Tamkang University 63 逢甲大學 Feng Chia University 64 朝陽科技大學 Chaoyang University of Technology 65 慈濟大學 Tzu Chi University 66 義守大學 I-Shou University 67 聖約翰科技大學 St. John’s University 68 實踐大學 Shih Chien University 69 臺北市立大學 University of Taipei 70 臺北醫學大學 Taipei Medical University 71 輔仁大學 Fu Jen Catholic University 72 輔英科技大學 Fooyin University 73 銘傳大學 Ming Chuan University 74 樹德科技大學 Shu-Te University 75 靜宜大學 Providence University Updated june 2, 2017 Talent Exchanges Malaysia 16,051 Indonesia 5,074 Vietnam 4,774 Thailand 1,749 India 1,310 Philippines 658 Myanmar 645 Singapore 630 Brunei 37 Cambodia 10 Laos 6 The total number of students from Southeast Asia studying at Taiwanese colleges and unversities (as of 2016) 31,531 14 Talent Exchanges An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 15 “The project allows us to cultivate top-quality talent for business and industry, and enhance people-to-people interactions while helping Taiwan’s colleges and universities to forge links with foreign students and deepen connections with ASEAN and South Asian countries,” says Department of International and Cross-Strait Education Director-General Andy Cheu-An Bi (畢祖安). The Elite Study project seeks to attract foreign students and professionals using the “MPP” concept — “Market, Pipeline, and Platform”: Market refers to promoting and expanding the higher education market overseas. Having achieved success in industrial transformation, Taiwan has a wealth of experience offering highquality goods for a service market, which enables it to provide practical vocational training and skills for foreign professionals and students. Pipeline refers to the interflow of talented people between Taiwan and New Southbound Policy countries. The objective is to increase exchanges between students by attracting talented individuals to study and conduct research in Taiwan, while sending students from Taiwan abroad to gain a deeper understanding of other nations’ cultures and languages, and to engage with foreign communities. Platform: The objective is to establish a “Taiwan Connection” platform for bilateral educational cooperation based on social and cultural links. The platform seeks to facilitate bilateral alliances between universities and research bodies in Taiwan and their counterparts abroad, and to encourage a more diverse range of skills development and research collaboration. Wide Choice of Programs and Training Foreign students under the New Southbound Policy initiatives are enrolled in the 75 Taiwanese institutes of higher education included in the consortium. Many students are already pursuing academic degree programs or vocational training in the machinery and electronics manufacturing sectors, agricultural sciences, language studies, finance and management, nursing and medical health, tourism, and engineering, as well as computer games and information technology. Among the better-known ongoing collaboration programs in the machinery and electronics manufacturing sectors are those presented by National Taipei University of Technology (台北科技 大學), the Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (南台科技大學), Wufeng University (吳鳳科技大學), National Chin-Yi University of Technology (勤益科技大學), National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (台灣科技大學), Minghsin University of Science and Technology (明新科技大學), Cheng Shiu University (正修科技大學), and the Hsiuping University of Science and Technology (­修平科技大學). Three schools are involved in the nursing and health fields: National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences (臺北護理健康大學), Hungkuang University (弘光科技大學), and Meiho University (美和科技大學). The best choice for studying agricultural sciences is at the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (國立屏東科技大學) in southern Taiwan. Its acclaimed College of Agriculture offers degree programs in plant science, forestry, aquaculture, and biological science and technology, including plant and animal science. Scholarships and Financial Support Although Taiwan offers affordable tuition and reasonable living costs, the government has set up financial aid and subsidy programs to attract talented students from the New Southbound Policy partner countries. The talent development initiatives work in both directions, and financial subsidies are also on offer for Taiwanese to study, undertake internships or job training, or perform volunteer work in the partner countries, where 4,000 such opportunities are to be provided starting in 2017. To attract foreign students under the New Southbound Policy, the government provides universities and colleges with financial support to develop customised curricula covering specific areas, including academic degree programs, short-term non-degree technical training programs, and internship opportunities through academia-industry cooperation. In line with this initiative, Taiwanese educational institutions specializing in science and technology have implemented short-term (up to one year) training programs, with theory-based courses accounting for 30 to 40 percent of the programs, and practical courses making up the rest. Students can return to their home countries for matching programs to obtain employment with overseas Taiwanese enterprises. The government also supports Taiwanese schools in cultivating educators in various technological areas needed by New Southbound Policy partner countries through two weeks to three months of intensive skills-upgrade training, with the aim of cultivating workers with advanced professional skills vital to the economic development of their home country’s economy. The Elite Study project seeks to attract foreign students and professionals using the “MPP” concept — “Market, Pipeline, and Platform”. ▲ Left: Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) speaks at the Southern Taiwan Job Fair for International Students on May 26, 2017. Right: The National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences (臺北護理健康大學) provides clinical training and skill upgrades to nurses from Southeast Asia. ▲ 32 students from India receive their university degrees from Wufeng University (吳鳳科技大學) In 2017. 16 Talent Exchanges An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 17 Diploma Recognition Among the 18 New Southbound Policy countries, India and Malaysia recognize university diplomas and professional certification acquired in Taiwan following the signing of agreements in 2010 and 2012, respectively. While Taiwan is yet to ink similar pacts with Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, the Ministry of Education says diploma recognition does not necessarily pose a problem in jobhunting. Australia and New Zealand maintain a qualification framework to assess foreign diplomas, certificates and licenses, and most Taiwanese universities and colleges are included in the framework. In Singapore, where there are no central educational authorities, it is up to individual employers to decide if foreign diplomas and certificates meet their professional requirements. The city state allows professional institutes to assess foreign engineering, medical, accounting, and law degrees and certificates. Despite Cambodia and Myanmar not recognising Taiwanese diplomas, some firms in these countries still hire Taiwanese employees. The Philippines withholds diploma recognition because it uses a different educational system from Taiwan’s, but educational reforms introduced in June 2016 may encourage more Philippine students to study in Taiwan. Brunei does not have a diploma-recognition system; it instead handles the matter on a caseby-case basis. Industry Participation and Company Internships Among the notable successes for academia-industry cooperation is the collaboration between Wufeng University and Far East Machinery Co (FEMCO, 遠東機械), a Taiwanese manufacturer whose products range from steel pipes and machine parts to golf clubs. FEMCO, which has production plants in India, provides internships with on-the-job training for students from South Asia. “We have had 87 students from India at our school since the project began a few years ago,” says the university’s International Affairs Office director Lin Chih-ta (林志達). “They take courses in technical fields along with a language course in the first year. During the second and third years, they spend half of the week training as interns at FEMCO.” “The students go through the academic program, which emphasizes on-the-job training, and develop their skills through the internship program. After graduation, they can start work right away. Some have remained in Taiwan, accepting jobs at FEMCO, while other graduates have returned home to work at FEMCO’s plant in India,” he said. The presence of foreign students on campus has nudged Wufeng University toward more internationalization and encouraged Taiwanese students to communicate in English with their new Indian friends. Adjustment was needed on both sides, as some teachers and trainers were not proficient in English, so those courses are taught through interpretation by a teaching assistant, Lin says. However, “the Indian students are diligent and have good attitude, and most of them are quick to learn the language, so they are able to communicate in Mandarin after the first year,” he says. One of the students is 25-year-old Abhijeet Utekar. “Picking up an advanced degree with training in the machine tool industry in Taiwan is a dream come true for me. One of the incentives is to learn Chinese, which will further help my career development,” Utekar says. Nursing Program for Southeast Asia Another notable program is at the National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, which provides clinical training and skills upgrades to nurses and medical school lecturers from Southeast Asia. “At the start, we focused on Indonesia, because we already had bilateral exchanges and sisterschool arrangements with medical and nursing schools in Indonesia. Also, because of Indonesia’s large population, there is great demand for trained health workers who can provide nursing and midwifery services,” says Lin Li-ju (林莉如), director of the university’s International and Cross-Strait Education Centre. “These arrangements have achieved their targets and all our programs are taught in English, so we can now offer similar collaborations with Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore,” she says. “Nursing professionals from these countries come to our school for short-term upgrading and onthe-job clinical training, which can take between one and three months. Others have enrolled in our international nursing master’s and doctoral programs.” Officials in these nations are pleased with the results and plan to send more students to the university in the coming years, because they recognize Taiwan’s advanced level of healthcare and its well-established programs for medical professionals. Besides the opportunity to learn Chinese, other foreign students cited affordable tuition, the high quality of school facilities, opportunities for further study, the availability of scholarships and improved job prospects back home as reasons for coming to study in Taiwan. According to surveys conducted by universities and the Ministry of Education, foreign students were pleasantly surprised by many aspects of their experience in Taiwan, such as the diversity of cultures, its relatively safe environment, the ease of getting around, the friendliness of the people, and the vibrant democratic society. Easing of Visa Requirements Under the New Southbound Policy, the application process and requirements for students, workers, and tourists coming to Taiwan has been revamped and streamlined, resulting in a more rapid approval process. The Cabinet has passed a draft bill to ease visa requirements for students and interns from New Southbound Policy countries, which is expected to receive legislative approval later in 2017. Among its provisions, the bill will relax the requirements for foreign students taking up internships at Taiwanese enterprises for those who are within two years of graduation from selected universities and colleges. It is expected to benefit several hundred foreign graduates enrolled in internship programs, and they will have more opportunities to gain further technical training and take up jobs in Taiwan. ■ Under the New Southbound Policy, the application process and requirements for students, workers, and tourists coming to Taiwan has been revamped and streamlined, resulting in a more rapid approval process. ▲ Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (桃園國際機場). 18 Resource Sharing An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 19 Taiwan has a long history of cooperation with its ASEAN and South Asian partners, and with the advent of the New Southbound Policy, the existing mode of cooperation can be expanded from trade and humanitarian aid to more extensive policymaking in fields such as public health, agriculture, tourism, and cultural exchanges. The New Southbound Policy launched by the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) aims to diversify and boost social and cultural ties between Taiwan and the New Southbound Policy partner countries. As the partner countries have grown in economic and cultural power, conventional modes of cooperation — medical help and trade in agricultural products, for example — alone cannot satisfy the need for more substantial bilateral and multilateral relations, and the rapidly changing economic and cultural milieu in South and Southeast Asian countries necessitates an evolution in the nature of cooperation to broader healthcare policy planning and technological exchanges. Public Health Taiwan has long cooperated with its Southeast Asian partners in epidemic prevention, birth control, and treatment of rare diseases and medical conditions, and as the partner countries have risen in economic status, the scope of cooperation has expanded from a purely medical context to public health planning on a governmental level. Patients with rare diseases from partner countries have undergone surgical procedures in Taiwan — including organ transplants; orthognathic surgery to correct abnormal positioning of face and jaw bones, including to mend cleft palates; bone marrow transplants; surgical interventions for morbidly obese patients; and the separation of conjoined twins — but while that form of medical humanitarian assistance will continue and expand, the focus of medical cooperation has shifted toward public health policy planning and health system reform. Taiwan, known for its affordable and universal healthcare system and hospital efficiency, can lend a helping hand to partner countries to build an efficient healthcare system and upgrade medical training capacity. Taiwan’s universal healthcare system is one of the most successful in the world, with the national health expenditure accounting for only about 6.3 percent of GDP, compared with the US’s 17 percent, while Taiwanese have a longer life expectancy than Americans despite the smaller per capita medical expenditure, International Cooperation Office Technical Superintendent Hsu Min-huei (許明暉) says. Taiwan is one of only a handful of countries that have successfully implemented a healthcare smart-card system and hospital management systems that are on a par with those used in the hotel and retail chain industries. “The nation’s healthcare smart-card system allows public health authorities to manage personal healthcare information. Coupled with well-designed insurance coverage and an accurate auditing system, the system reduces administrative costs and helps reduce healthcare fraud to almost zero,” Hsu says. “In many nations, most health insurance premiums pay for services that are not actually performed, while Taiwan has paid what might be the lowest cost in providing necessary services, which is a good example for nations that are developing an affordable healthcare system.” Malaysia has emulated Taiwan in developing its own universal healthcare system, while Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia have the potential to be Taiwan’s close partners in shared public health planning. Resource Sharing Advantech Co Ltd (研華), Taiwan’s biggest industrial computer maker, has developed a healthcare information system that makes use of surgical instruments fitted with embedded information systems, which enables the complete digitization of hospital management, including a digital registration system and electronic medical records. While traditional trade in medical supplies ranging from ultrasound scanners to syringes and surgical needles — which looks to remain the dominant mode of medical trade between Taiwan and Myanmar — will continue to expand, Taiwanese industries are poised to help partner countries develop streamlined electronic hospital management systems essential to an efficient healthcare scheme. “The government and business sector are ready to help its partners transition to a more productive and cost-effective healthcare system,” Hsu says. Extensive cooperation on medical technology and surgical exchanges can be built with Thailand, India and Singapore where medical development is more advanced. Meanwhile, Taiwan is offering training to partner countries to cultivate teachers in both essential and advanced surgery techniques, with at least 100 professional courses to be offered in 2017. A number of Vietnamese physicians have already received training on kidney transplants, and they will become pioneers in that area and pass on their expertise to new physicians, Hsu says. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation would involve diverse dialogues in which medical and public health goals would be determined, followed by their execution by a team of academics and private-sector specialists to ensure that the relevant parties follow through on medical agreements, he says. The Global Cooperation and Training Framework — an initiative by Taiwan and the US to expand cooperation on humanitarian assistance, public health, environmental protection, energy, technology, education, and regional development — would provide a platform for cooperation between Taiwan and its partners, Hsu says. A workshop on diagnosing mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya fever, organized in April 2017 as part of the New Southbound Policy, was attended by 15 of the policy’s 18 partner countries, which can be a basis for regular and extended cooperation, Hsu says. ▲ Taiwan is offering training to partner countries to cultivate teachers in both essential and advanced surgery techniques. 20 Resource Sharing An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 21 ▲ Grace Lih-fang Lin (林麗芳), Director-General of the Department of International Affairs at the Council of Agriculture. Agriculture The collaborative relationships between Taiwan and South and Southeast Asian countries have shifted from trade in agricultural products to more extensive technological exchanges and cooperation, with some Taiwanese farmers and businesses exporting entire production lines to partner countries. To cooperate with local industries and introduce sustainable and high-quality farming, priority has been given to the export of crop seeds and seed technologies, fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds, halal-certified products, laboratory chemicals and reagents, biological pest control methods, and agricultural equipment and machinery, says Grace Lih-fang Lin (林麗芳), director of the Department of International Affairs at the Council of Agriculture. Taiwan is seeking closer agricultural cooperation with the NSP partner countries, some of which have signed a memorandum of understanding with Taiwan on agricultural issues. Explaining the so-called “whole factory export” model as a new mode of cooperation to introduce Taiwan’s production methods and industrial chain — instead of agricultural products alone — to partner countries, Lin used greenhouses as an example, saying that an entire facility, from its “hardware,” such as sensors, control systems, automated irrigation and lighting, to “software,” such as seeds, fertilizers and grafting methods, would be exported to partner countries. Such facilities, which are in high demand in the NSP partner countries, could become a “demonstration garden” and introduce Taiwanese crops, farming techniques and agricultural machinery to partner countries to achieve large-scale cooperation with local farmers as well as the food and machinery industries to build an innovative, localized supply chain, she says. “That provides a golden opportunity for Taiwan as well as its partners, as they can transplant Taiwanese species and farming techniques — which are arguably more efficient than what is available locally — on their soil, allowing Taiwanese industries to better adapt to the local climate and business environment,” Lin says. The demonstration gardens have the potential to expand into full-fledged industries, such as greenhouse vegetable and organic farming, by integrating Taiwanese techniques with local capital. Taiwan also offers training to farmers from the partner countries so that they can introduce Taiwanese farming systems and techniques to their home countries. Training and short-term work permits have already been provided to Vietnamese, Thai and Philippine farmers, and following the advent of the New Southbound Policy, the practice has been extended to Indonesian and Indian farmers, with the number of participants growing rapidly, Lin says. Culture and Tourism Efforts to transform Taiwan into a Muslim-friendly nation are under way, and projects have been launched to create a halal industry ecosystem in Taiwan and help local firms gain halal certification, prompt related exports, and foster ties with Muslim nations. Taking its cue from the New Southbound Policy, the Taiwan Halal Center was launched in April and will serve as a business match-making platform for the halal industries of Taiwan and the world’s Muslim-majority economies while organizing trade delegations consisting of Taiwanese enterprise leaders to the nearby Muslim markets of Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. Blibli.com, the largest online shopping platform in Indonesia, will start selling Taiwanese-made cosmetics and maternal and infant-care products, for example. The government has also initiated campaigns to increase the number of halal-certified establishments in Taiwan. The number of hotels and restaurants that have received halal certification has broken the 100 mark this year, with most of them located in northern Taiwan, the most popular destination for Southeast Asian travelers. Despite being a non-Muslim nation, Taiwan is a popular destination for Muslims and, in addition to expanding the halal certification program, the government is working to increase the availability of prayer rooms and ablution facilities and simplify visa procedures for visitors from Muslim-majority countries. Meanwhile, Taiwan is seeking to harness the talents of Muslim immigrants and their children to connect with Muslim travelers, particularly with Indonesians and Malaysians, Tourism Bureau specialist Alice Ko (柯怡君) says. A tour guide training program targeting Southeast Asian immigrants and students has led to an increase of about 200 certified guides, and on-site tour guides are available at selected tourist attractions for visitors not travelling with a group. “The ‘people-centric exchange’ feature of the New Southbound Policy will ensure that more Southeast Asian travelers can appreciate Taiwanese culture, which would lead to deeper business, cultural and substantial ties between Taiwan and the region,” Executive Yuan Executive Officer Howard Song (宋明豪) says. ■ That provides a golden opportunity for Taiwan as well as its partners, as they can transplant Taiwanese species and farming techniques — which are arguably more efficient than what is available locally — on their soil, allowing Taiwanese industries to better adapt to the local climate and business environment. ▲ The Taiwan Halal Center (台灣清真推廣中心) opens on April 21, 2017, to serve as a business match-making platform for the halal industries of Taiwan and the world’s Muslim-majority economies. 22 Institutional Links and Connectivity An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 23 A major objective of the New Southbound Policy is to address inadequate regional links with the policy’s 18 target countries through multi-faceted collaborations, such as renewing and upgrading existing agreements on trade and taxation, as well as economic cooperation. Under the confines of Taiwan’s limited international space, the relationships between Taiwanese companies and markets in the Asia-Pacific region have been focused primarily on trade and economics. As most Taiwanese companies operate in the region’s export processing zones, they have had very limited ties with the local markets and society, while most collaborations have been in technical fields such as agricultural technology. The New Southbound Policy aims to forge institutional links by actively pursuing economic cooperation agreements or individual economic cooperation provisions with India and major ASEAN trade partners. In addition, the policy aims to update and enhance current bilateral investment and taxation treaties with regional trade partners, as well as improve risk management by creating major event alerts and emergency response mechanisms. Apart from expanding comprehensive, multi-faceted negotiations and dialogue with the 18 partner countries at government level, the government is working to draw on Taiwanese networks in these countries to foster closer relations. ▼ President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). Thw New Southbound policy is not an attempt to make a political statement or compete with mainland China, but is about promoting mutually beneficial development in the region. Institutional Links and Connectivity 24 Institutional Links and Connectivity An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 25 The government is building a database and exchange platform to connect ethnic Chinese abroad as well as foreign alumni of Taiwanese universities with Taiwanese businesses to promote discovery of collaborative opportunities. The influence of Taiwanese companies in the region has diminished markedly since a wave of production bases being moved to mainland China began the 1990s, while trade rivals in Japan, South Korea, mainland China, the European Union and the US have been expanding their presence in the region. In light of these challenges, it is hoped that with the help of the government, a combined effort with the private sector could pave the way for greater mutual benefits for Taiwan and its partners. Regional Trade and Tax Agreements While Taiwan has established ties with many of the 18 New Southbound Policy partner countries, its most recent accords are free-trade agreements with New Zealand and Singapore that were inked in 2013. The government is also striving to expand the list of nations with which it has trade and investment agreements to include the other NSP partner countries. The New Southbound Policy aims to review and upgrade existing agreements with some of the NSP partner countries, whose investment and tax agreements with Taiwan were signed more than a decade ago. Consequently, renegotiations of investment and tax agreements with these countries would take into account the changes in bilateral investment that have since occurred to better suit each side’s current needs, the Ministry of Finance has said. Accounting firms have said that although Thailand and Vietnam have business income taxes of around 20 percent, the rate could be cut to zero for certain government projects. The firms pointed out that while Thailand has a relatively straightforward tax code stipulating a 20 percent business income tax, its tax agreement with Taiwan halves the dividend tax from 10 percent to 5 percent for Taiwanese companies. In Thailand, participation in government projects related to advanced technology and infrastructure grants full tax exemptions for five to eight years, in addition to duty-free imports for procurement of machinery and equipment. Vietnam, meanwhile, is aiming to attract foreign companies to set up production bases in rural regions by offering business tax reductions ranging from 15 to 50 percent for durations between four and 15 years, in addition to further tax waivers based on companies’ research and development expenditure. Strategic Alliances Under the New Southbound Policy, a portion of foreign aid resources will be redirected toward building a comprehensive foreign aid mechanism to help expand Taiwanese companies’ participation in local development projects in the NSP partner countries. It is hoped that the combined efforts of the public and private sectors can contribute to promoting growth and prosperity for the entire region. The government is working to establish cooperation platforms with other industrialized countries on the basis of cultivating strategic alliances to jointly explore business opportunities in the NSP partner countries. Establishing regional institutional links is an alternative path toward overcoming the difficulties presented by Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation. To overcome the lack of official ties, Taiwanese companies have been using methods such as registering units abroad or by partnering with investors from a third country to enter foreign markets. Ties with South Korea and Japan The capabilities of Taiwanese and South Korean companies complement each other, with Taiwan bringing extensive experience in organizing international trade shows and tapping into global markets. Despite the rivalry between Taiwanese and South Korean firms in major industries such as electronics and biotechnology, the two sides have much to gain from jointly tapping into major overseas markets such as India. The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) is spearheading efforts at furthering collaboration with businesses in conjunction with their counterparts in other Asian nations. TAITRA has forged an agreement with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) to dispatch a joint delegation to present “smart city” solutions at a major expo in India. ▲ The Taiwan pavilion attracts attention at the CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT 2017 trade show, held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. ▲ Taiwan is working to become one of the frontrunners in the regional development of smart energy and green technology. As a result, the nation’s own Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification is accepted by fellow PIC/S members Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, as well as all other ASEAN member states, allowing Taiwanese companies to avoid redundant processes in gaining regulatory approval for new drug and health supplement products. The exception is Indonesia, which requires case-by-case review, while India is a member of neither PIC/S nor the International Council on Harmonisation (ICH), two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical regulatory schemes. The Taiwanese government is focusing on promoting exports by Taiwan’s many orthopedic and dental implant makers based in the Southern Taiwan Science Park by supporting marketing and extending these manufacturers’ global reach. Government Agency Initiatives While market observers regard most ASEAN nations as less than ideal for higher-priced segments such as newly developed oncology drugs, Taiwanese companies are well-positioned to tap into the market for lower-priced botanical drugs. The Botanical Drug Development Consortium (植物 新藥聯盟) has announced an alliance to help Taiwanese companies and their international partners meet US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards on plant-derived medicinal products. The initiative aims to help Taiwanese, Chinese and Malaysian companies, as well as plant growers, meet the FDA’s General Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) standard set in 2016, which ensures that source plants grown and harvested for use in botanical medications meet requirements in terms of consistency, potency and quality. The initiative establishes partnerships between developers and growers, while helping growers meet GACP standards using the consortium’s technology platform and other resources. ■ 26 Institutional Links and Connectivity An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 27 ▲ Left: A delegation of 11 Taiwanese herbal medicine companies organized by TAITRA meets with buyers from Malaysia and Singapore in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Right: The Atami Hotel Taipei Onsen displays its MuslimFriendly Tourism certifications, prayer mats and compass to meet Islamic travelers’ needs to observe Salat. The two sides have begun talks to formulate plans on promoting overseas expansions for small to medium-sized enterprises, cross-border electronic commerce, as well as fostering new start-up ventures. The two agencies are also comparing notes on their respective national trade internet portals — TAITRA’s TaiwanTrade and KOTRA’s BuyKorea. In addition, TAITRA and KOTRA are working toward promoting international exchanges between start-up companies by encouraging them to attend trade exhibitions abroad, such as South Korea’s Global Mobile Vision conference, and Taiwan’s InnoVex at the annual Computex Taipei trade show, which both focus on start-ups. TAITRA’s efforts in allying with third countries include collaborations with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to improve market analysis and intelligence sharing on Southeast Asian markets. Together, the two sides have showcased halal-certified products at the 2017 FOODEX Japan food and beverage trade show in Tokyo to cater to the needs of Asia’s vast Muslim communities. While Japanese companies have deeper experience in investing in Thailand, they could benefit from the help of the 25,000 Taiwanese companies already operating in the ASEAN region in tackling the challenges presented by expanding in Asia, which include rising costs, difficulties with materials procurement, and developing new client bases, by pooling resources such as networks and marketing. According to JETRO, more than 60 percent of Japanese companies operating in the region have indicated a high level of interest in working with Taiwanese firms. Links Between Health Regulators Taiwan has a highly developed biotechnology sector, with many major drug makers having attained certification under the internationally recognized Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention and Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S) standard since 2013. ▲ Left: The 2017 Taiwan-Japan Bilateral Smart Industry Summit in Taipei, hosted by the Small and Medium Enterprises Administration of Ministry of Economic Affairs (經濟部中小企業處), explored opportunities in jointly tapping into Southeast Asian markets. Right: Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) chairman James Huang (黃志芳), right, and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency president and chief operating officer Kim Jaechong attend a conference in Jeju Province, South Korea. 28 Conclusion An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 29 Taiwan has made considerable headway in building relationships with New Southbound Policy partner countries since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) unveiled the initiative in 2016. Countries in the region and elsewhere have welcomed the policy and expressed interest in coming on board. The policy is not an attempt to make a political statement in the region and has nothing to do with mainland China’s “Belt and Road” initiative; it is geared toward building long-term strategic relationships with partner countries on a mutually beneficial basis, and represents an important part of the government’s effort to shift Taiwan’s economy to a more balanced and sustainable model. Taiwan’s heavy dependence on a few sectors and thin-margin business is being challenged by the rise of emerging markets and constant changes in consumer taste. “The New Southbound Policy can grow hand-in-hand with the government’s pursuit of a new economic model for Taiwan as the supply of intermediate goods and services is becoming unsustainable due to thin profit margins and the increasing shift of consumer focus on technology software,” Taiwan Institute of Economic Research Vice President Chiou Jiunn-rong (邱俊榮) said. The Taipei-based think tank calls for a focus on India and Indonesia to capitalize on their vast populations and booming economies. Mutual interests About 25,000 Taiwanese firms have established a presence in ASEAN markets, but only 90 are in India, suggesting ample room for growth in South Asia, said James Huang (黃志芳). Today, 900 million Indians use mobile phones, but only 250 million of these are smartphones, presenting huge and immediate business potential for Taiwanese smartphone vendors, India-Taipei Association Director-General Sridharan Madhusudhanan said. The opportunity extends to flat-panel television makers, because there are still 350 million cathode-ray tube TVs in India, Madhusudhanan said. “Taiwan and India can join forces in tapping e-commerce and Internet of Things (IoT) business,” Chiou says. Software applications are dominating the IoT era, explaining the huge success of Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google. India has the world’s largest pool of software talent, and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精 密) and Pegatron Corp (和碩) have announced plans to set up plants in India to better serve their customers there. Currently, Taiwanese companies with investment in India include Cheng Shin Rubber Industry Co (正新橡膠), CTCI Corp (中鼎工程), Delta Electronics Inc (台達電), HTC Corp (宏達電), Feng Tay Enterprise Co (豐泰鞋業), Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), China Steel Corp (中鋼) and MediaTek Inc (聯發科). Cheng Shin Rubber, a Taiwanese tire maker which sells its products under the Maxxis brand, has received orders filled up to 2019. Indonesia, surrounded by the ocean, is ideal for developing the aquaculture industry and Taiwan could offer its expertise in this field. Some local firms have made inroads in the Southeast Asian nation. Taiwanese solar power firms could also lend a hand in helping Indonesia develop renewables, such as solar power, in which Taiwanese firms have a competitive edge. In addition, Taiwan could compete for contracts to upgrade Indonesia’s railway and highway systems, expand its port capacity and enhance other infrastructure. Vietnam is courting foreign companies to set up production bases in its rural regions by offering business tax reductions ranging from 15 to 50 percent for durations between 4 and 15 years, in addition to further tax waivers based on companies’ research and development expenditure. Kenda Rubber Industrial Co (建大輪胎), another Taiwanese tire manufacturer, has had plants in Vietnam for 20 years and plans to raise its capacity in the country in order to reduce dependence on its plant in mainland China’s Kunshan, where the firm produces most of its car tires. Lower production costs and a desire to win more customers in Southeast Asia prompted Kenda to expand its production capacity in Vietnam. Similarly, Thailand and Malaysia have sought to attract foreign investment by providing tax exemptions. In Thailand, participation in government projects related to advanced technology and infrastructure enjoys full tax exemptions for five to eight years, in addition to duty-free imports for procurement of machinery and equipment. Thailand’s Board of Investment offers companies income tax exemption for up to 13 years and duty exemption on imported goods for research and development purposes. Conclusion The flagship projects aim to capitalize on Taiwan’s soft power, particularly in healthcare, education, human resources development, technological innovation, agriculture, and disaster preparedness. ▲ The Department of Dance at the National Taiwan University of Arts (國立台灣藝術大學舞蹈學系) perform the “Splendor of Taiwan” in India, Indonesia, and Malaysia to introduce the traditional dances of Taiwan as part of the 2017 New Southbound Policy Dancing Arts Cultural Exchange Program. 30 Conclusion An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 31 Biotechnology Taiwan has a highly developed biotechnology sector, with all pharmaceutical manufacturers being in compliance with international standards. Since becoming a member of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S), Taiwan’s regulatory framework of manufacturing medicinal products, including legislation, GMP standards, inspection resources and quality management systems, has been accredited by the PIC/S as complying with international standards and norms. The GMP certificates and inspection results issued by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) can be recognized by fellow members, including Malaysia, Singapore, etc. The Taiwanese authorities are also seeking to promote exports from Taiwan’s orthopaedic and dental implant makers based in the Southern Taiwan Science Park by lending support to their global reach. Five Flagship Projects The government has mapped out five flagship projects that build on Taiwan’s strengths as the next focus of the New Southbound Policy: the joint cultivation of talent to bolster industry and business in the region; medical and public health cooperation and the development of industrial chains; the development of innovation-based industries; institutional agricultural cooperation and agribusiness ventures; and the organization of New Southbound Policy forums and regional youth exchange platforms. The flagship projects aim to capitalize on Taiwan’s soft power, particularly in healthcare, education, human resources development, technological innovation, agriculture, and disaster preparedness. They seek to share Taiwan’s experience in areas that fulfill the needs of New Southbound Policy partner countries and contribute to the development and well-being of people across the region, as well as foster a sense of community. Government agencies concentrate and coordinate their efforts and resources on advancing the projects so that they can expand Taiwan’s market presence in the region, generate new business opportunities, and deepen our ties with New Southbound Policy partner countries. Policymakers are working with the private sector in creating a business-friendly environment, while promotions are being carried out under the principles of nurturing mutual interests and reciprocity. Diplomatic agencies and trade offices in the region have been primed to join the coordination and integration efforts. Financial and economic authorities are meanwhile pursuing strategic partnership dialogues with New Southbound Policy countries and negotiating investment protection agreements and favorable taxation terms. For countries where trade agreements are already in place, the Taiwanese authorities are seeking to update their contents to help Taiwanese firms minimize investment risks and operational overheads. The government has also identified three potential business fields linked to the New Southbound Policy: public construction projects, tourism, and cross-border e-commerce. Policymakers are coming up with concrete plans to help Taiwanese firms capitalize on business potential and improve connectivity with the partner countries. The five flagship projects and three potential business fields are geared toward team efforts from local administrations, the legislature, political parties, industrial players, academic institutes, non-governmental organizations, and civic groups. The public can also make contributions, which will give the New Southbound Policy a deeper dimension, more diversity and enhanced vigour. ■ The New Southbound Policy represents an important part of the government’s effort to shift Taiwan’s economy to a more balanced and sustainable model. F. Appendix Guidelines for the New Southbound Policy New Southbound Policy Working Plan New Visa Regulations Between Taiwan and the 18 countries of the New Southbound Policy Mutual Visa Requirements Between Taiwan and the 18 countries of the New Southbound Policy Contact Details Scholarships and Financial Support A. B. C. D. E. 32 Appendix / Guidelines for the New Southbound Policy An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 33 A. Guidelines for the New Southbound Policy The New Southbound Policy is a crucial part of Taiwan’s economic and trade strategy, which aims to redefine Taiwan’s important role in Asia’s development, identify a new direction and a new driving force for a new stage of economic development, and create future value. In light of this, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) convened a meeting on international economic and trade strategy on August 16, 2016. During the meeting, participants approved the adoption of policy guidelines for the New Southbound Policy. The guidelines clearly set forth the guiding principles of the New Southbound Policy and its short-, medium-, and long-term goals. They will also guide action and serve as a framework for implementation. These guidelines will shape the direction of government undertakings, coalesce resources and forces in our society, and make it clear to the international community (especially the nations of ASEAN and South Asia) that Taiwan has bona fide intentions to push forward with cooperation projects and engage in talks and dialogue, in order to lay a solid foundation for implementing the New Southbound Policy across the board. The following is a translation of the full text of the guidelines for the New Southbound Policy: The New Southbound Policy is a crucial part of Taiwan’s economic and trade strategy. As an important member of both Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan must respond to changing global conditions and the trend toward regional integration by making appropriate adjustments. The New Southbound Policy has been adopted in order to identify a new direction and a new driving force for a new stage of Taiwan’s economic development, to redefine Taiwan’s important role in Asia’s development, and to create future value. At the same time, via this policy, our government hopes to start up wide-ranging negotiation and dialogue with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia, with an eye to establishing close cooperation and together achieving regional development and prosperity. A. Key goals of the New Southbound Policy 1. Overall and long-term goals (1) Foster links between Taiwan and the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia in the areas of economic and trade relations, science and technology, and culture; share resources, talent, and markets; and create a new cooperation mode that seeks mutual benefits and win-win situations. By these undertakings, we seek to forge a “sense of economic community.” (2) Establish mechanisms for wide-ranging negotiation and dialogue; form a consensus for cooperation with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia; effectively resolve related problems and disagreements; and gradually build up mutual trust and a sense of community. 2. Short- to mid-term goals (1) Use a combination of national will, policy incentives, and business opportunities to spur and expand bilateral exchanges in the areas of economic and trade relations, investment, tourism, culture, and talent. (2) In support of a New Model for Economic Development, encourage industry to adopt a New Southbound strategy in planning their next moves. (3) Cultivate more people with the skills needed to support the New Southbound Policy, thereby resolving a developmental bottleneck. (4) Expand multilateral and bilateral negotiation and dialogue to enhance economic cooperation and resolve disputes and disagreements. B. Implementation principles for the New Southbound Policy 1. Settle in for the long haul, forge a sense of economic community Taiwan already has a strong foundation and favorable conditions for implementation of the New Southbound Policy, but we know from experience and actual circumstances that we cannot expect to achieve instant success, for the road ahead is full of challenges. We must be unwavering and firm in purpose, settle in for the long haul, and seek comprehensive development. We must establish strategic partnerships with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia, and gradually forge a sense of economic community. That is how we will bolster our capabilities and overcome a wide variety of difficulties and bottlenecks. 2. Properly define Taiwan’s future role in regional development Taiwan’s success in economic development came about because our actions were in line with our comparative advantages — outward-looking strategy and strength in contract manufacturing. This earned Taiwan a place in global supply chains and, within Asia, a key role as a provider of capital and technology and an integrator of resources. Faced with a reshuffling of global supply chains and the rise of emerging economies, Taiwan must redefine its role in the process of regional development. We intend to create a New Model for Economic Development based on the core elements of innovation, employment, and equitable distribution. We further intend to bring about new modes of production and new ways of living that will make Taiwan a model for Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. We hope to act as “an innovator, a sharer, and a provider of services.” 3. Pursue a strategy of four key links (1) Soft power links Countries throughout the world expend great efforts to maintain good ties with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia. Taiwan’s main strengths, meanwhile, lie in its soft power in areas such as technology, people and culture. Taiwan should pay especially close attention to soft power as a core aspect of its strategy to link up with other countries. We need to take advantage of Taiwan’s broad experience in medical care, education, technology, and agricultural cooperation as well as small and medium enterprises to promote multilateral and bilateral cooperation with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia. (2) Supply chain links In the area of trade and investment, there is a high degree of complementarity between Taiwan and the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia. Due to the impact of structural factors, however, some industries in recent years have stopped growing or even gone into decline. To spur trade and investment, we need to first deal with supply chain integration. This integration is needed in such sectors as information and communications technology (ICT), domestic-demand-driven industries, energy and petrochemicals, new agriculture, and financial services. Division of labour and cooperation in next-generation industries and international trade is another area where we need to act early to put the pieces in place, starting with the five major innovative industries, so as to leave ourselves room for multilateral participation and cooperation. Cooperation involving small and medium enterprises should also be included as a key focal point of cooperation. (3) Linking regional markets The nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia are spread out across a vast region, and there are pronounced differences among them in terms of level of development, culture, customs, and legal systems. To boost two-way investment and trade and spur more vigorous economic cooperation, we must strengthen linkages among different markets within the region. Accordingly, investing in soft and hard infrastructure and fostering links with regional markets are key to cooperation with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia, and offer immense business opportunities. Taiwan will need to make an active effort, using the resources at its disposal, to take part in the building of infrastructure in the aforementioned areas. We will also have to capitalize on Taiwan’s technical edge in ICT software to promote online links with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia. In addition, we must at the same time push to adjust our legislation in order to expand links with regional markets. (4) People-to-people links Travel and tourism are at the core of people-to-people ties, and a catalyst for intercultural exchange and fusion. If we are to establish close ties with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia, promoting peopleto-people links is a core task. We should use tourism and cultural resources to promote two-way ties and exchanges, thereby implementing a people-centred New Southbound spirit. 4. Cultivate more people with the skills needed to support the New Southbound Policy Overcoming a shortage of people with relevant skill sets is key to the success of the New Southbound Policy. We need to cultivate long-term talent and turn out increased numbers of short-term talent so there will be a deeper labour pool to support the New Southbound Policy. The government must invest more resources. It must provide technical and vocational education, stimulate industrial development, and cultivate more “New Southbound personnel” in order to provide companies with the long- and short-term personnel they need. The government must also encourage immigrants in Taiwan to get involved in the “New Southbound” undertaking, and mainstream language instruction to cultivate personnel with expertise in languages relevant to the New Southbound Policy. 5. Pursue institutionalized bilateral and multilateral cooperation We have consistently pursued the goals of promoting institutionalized economic cooperation with our major trading partners and taking part in the process of regional economic integration. We need to continue working to sign bilateral investment and taxation agreements with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia, and should actively seek to sign economic cooperation agreements or enter into economic cooperation projects with our major trading partners. Doing so will build up a stronger foundation and momentum for our efforts to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). 6. Formulate a comprehensive set of coordinated measures and effective risk controls If the New Southbound Policy is to endure, we need to engage in comprehensive efforts. Government agencies must play their proper roles by planning out the establishment of comprehensive sets of coordinated measures, including deregulation and steps to ensure the free movement of people, goods, and money. We need to provide convenient financing channels, technical support, and plentiful information, and complement these efforts with foreign aid to support implementation of the New Southbound Policy. On another front, we also need to take risk management seriously and be fully aware of the possible political and economic risks associated with the New Southbound Policy. In pursuing links and cooperation with other countries, we need to adopt plans that are appropriate given local political realities and conditions within local Taiwanese expatriate communities. At the same time, we need to establish early warning and response mechanisms for major incidents in order to effectively control risks. ♦ Provided by Executive Yuan ♦ 34 Appendix / New Southbound Policy Working Plan An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 35 7. Participate actively in international cooperation The nations of ASEAN and South Asia are important emerging economies. The United States, Japan, and mainland China all have proactive strategies for developing relations with them, and international organizations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have all expended resources to assist with regional development. Taiwan should take an active part in international cooperation and establish strategic alliances with friendly countries and together with these countries foster links with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia. 8. Comprehensively enhance mechanisms for talks and dialogue Pursuing the New Southbound Policy and engaging in wide-ranging communication and dialogue with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia are very important tasks. Taiwan should comprehensively enhance mechanisms for negotiation and dialogue. With the office for international economic and trade negotiations to be established under the auspices of the Executive Yuan, we will further strengthen the international negotiating capabilities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and similar agencies, so that we can engage in multi-level and comprehensive negotiations and dialogue with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia aimed at eliminating barriers and impediments rooted in systems and policies. 9. Good-faith cross-strait interactions and cooperation The two sides of the Taiwan Strait both bear a great responsibility for regional peace and development, and share numerous common interests. In seeking economic cooperation with the nations of ASEAN and South Asia as well as New Zealand and Australia, the two sides each have different resources and advantages. By working together we can multiply our strengths. Therefore, we do not rule out the possibility of engaging in negotiation and dialogue with the other side of the Strait on related matters at opportune moments, so that the New Southbound Policy and cross-strait relations can be mutually reinforcing undertakings, and the two sides can together set a model for regional cooperation. 10. Make good use of private-sector organizations and vitality The New Southbound Policy has to be thoroughly implemented in all aspects of private-sector exchanges, so it is necessary to make good use of private-sector organizations such as academic, research, religious, cultural, artistic, industrial and commercial groups, as well as associations of Taiwan-invested enterprises and NGOs. We need to encourage and help them to take part in New Southbound Policy endeavours so that private-sector firms can bring their energy fully into play and form a vanguard in implementation of the New Southbound Policy. C. Framework for implementation of the New Southbound Policy 1. Division of labour among government agencies The New Southbound Policy is very broad in its impact. The Office of the President, National Security Council, Executive Yuan, and related Cabinet agencies need to adopt policy guidelines addressing their own areas of responsibility. They need to promote related projects and programs, including flagship programs in different fields, and undertake the relevant work with clear plans, procedures and priorities. 2. Establishing a mechanism for liaison with elected officials and local governments To fully launch and implement the New Southbound Policy requires the support of elected officials and participation of local governments. For this reason, the central government must establish a mechanism for coordination and liaison with the Legislative Yuan and local governments, in order to consolidate collective strengths in support of the New Southbound Policy, so that it will yield positive results for the country. Introduction The global and domestic circumstances of Taiwan’s economy have undergone rapid changes in recent years. In the global economy, mainland China is facing many obstacles following three decades of rapid economic development, such as industrial structural transformation, adjustments in laws and institutions, a sharp increase in production costs, and a slowdown in economic growth. Meanwhile, the economies of Southeast and South Asia have continued to expand, raising their consumers’ purchasing power. These countries also actively participate in regional economic integration to maximize their firms’ competitiveness, creating greater business opportunities. This region has consequently emerged as a bright spot of global economic growth. Currently, the total GDP of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which have a combined population of approximately 620 million, has reached US$2.4 trillion. The six South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan) have a total population of nearly 1.7 billion and a GDP of US$2.7 trillion. According to Global Insight forecasts, the average annual economic growth rates for the ASEAN and South Asian countries will reach 4.9% and 7.4%, respectively, over the next five years (2017-2021), which is notably higher than the global average of 3.1%. Following this economic growth, a new middle class with remarkable purchasing power will gradually emerge in these countries, forming markets full of business opportunities. Domestically, Taiwan is entering a critical period of industrial transformation and structural adjustment, in which wage growth has stagnated, talented people are in short supply, and economic growth is decelerating. Although Taiwan has previously maintained trade and economic relations with many emerging markets in Asia, most of these relations are based on export processing and related investment, not on the local markets themselves. Moreover, the majority of these export items are manufactured goods with little value added. Due to Taiwan’s difficulties in participating in regional economic integration, these products are greatly affected by tariffs and trade barriers, and Taiwanese companies face severe competition. These problems are hindering Taiwan’s export and economic growth. Taiwan also has a high concentration of trade and outbound investment in mainland China, which poses potential risks to Taiwan’s economy and security. Under these new circumstances, Taiwan’s strategy for economic and foreign relations in the Asia-Pacific region is to engage in structural adjustment to promote growth and support the transformation of domestic industries. In this context, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in her inaugural speech on May 20, 2016, highlighted the importance of promoting the New Southbound Policy to improve Taiwan’s stance and versatility in the international economy, stating that Taiwan should step away from relying on a single market, and re-establish ties with the rest of Asia. On August 16, 2016, President Tsai convened a meeting on international economic and trade strategy, formally adopting the Guidelines for the New Southbound Policy. She positioned the New Southbound Policy as a key component of Taiwan’s overall international economic and trade strategy, asserting that Taiwan should seek out new directions and capacities for a new stage of economic development, and redefine Taiwan’s position in the development of Asia to create value for the future. In response, the Executive Yuan introduced the New Southbound Policy Promotion Plan on September 5 of that year, and consequently directed the Office of Trade Negotiations to coordinate all tasks concerning the New Southbound Policy. The guidelines elucidate the vision and short- to mid-term goals of the New Southbound Policy. One of these goals entails creating a new model of mutually beneficial cooperation between Taiwan and these 18 countries by promoting links in trade, technology, and culture, as well as by sharing resources, talent, and markets. Another goal is to establish extensive negotiation and dialogue channels to form a consensus for cooperation with countries included in the New Southbound Policy and effectively resolve relevant problems and disagreements, thereby gradually building mutual trust and ultimately forging a sense of economic community. By achieving these goals, Taiwan will partner with New Southbound Policy target countries to pursue economic prosperity, talent and resource sharing, quality-of-life innovation, and international connection and reciprocity. Therefore, the New Southbound Policy will follow the core ideas of “Settling in for the long haul, comprehensive engagement, and twoway reciprocity”. It will also integrate the resources and efforts of various ministries, local governments, and the private sector to achieve the four objectives of economic and trade cooperation, talent exchange, resource sharing, and regional integration. Moreover, the policy will focus on lateral connections with countries included in the New Southbound Policy to create a new and mutually beneficial model of cooperation and economic community. It is against this background that the policy pursues four main tasks: In promoting economic and trade cooperation, it aims to facilitate Taiwanese firms moving beyond the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) production model; connecting with countries in the New Southbound Policy area; enhance cooperation among industries and in infrastructure projects; and export integrated systems services. In terms of talent exchange, the policy aims to adopt a people-centred, two-way exchange strategy while balancing the needs of Taiwan and countries in the New Southbound Policy area. It is not geared toward a unilateral employment of foreign workers, but rather the bilateral fostering of talent, thereby enhancing the complementarities and cooperation of human resources. In resource sharing, the policy aims to maximize the soft power advantages of Taiwan’s medical, cultural, tourism, technology, and agriculture industries, and use them as a stepping stone to establishing and reinforcing relations with New Southbound Policy target countries, thereby creating bilateral or multilateral cooperation opportunities. In regional integration, the policy aims to promote bilateral or multilateral institutionalized cooperation, to elevate the level of negotiations and dialogue between Taiwan and these countries. Moreover, it relies on international cooperation to establish Taiwan’s partnership with these countries. B. New Southbound Policy Working Plan 36 Appendix / New Southbound Policy Working Plan An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 37 Overall, the New Southbound Policy is a component of Taiwan’s comprehensive economic and foreign relations strategy to keep abreast of current international and domestic trends. The policy aims not only to diversify trade and economic risks, but also to seek market opportunities, identify new driving forces for Taiwan’s economy, and redefine Taiwan’s role in the international supply chain. Through meaningful participation in international communities, Taiwan intends to help achieve regional peace and prosperity. 1. Economic and Trade Cooperation 1.1. Policy Orientation Taiwan has long-standing and strong economic and trade relations with a number of Southeast Asian countries. However, these countries generally serve as production bases for OEM processing, export trade or investment, focusing less on domestic markets. In recent years, many Southeast Asian and South Asian economies have flourished, drastically increasing spending power. These advancements, coupled with the rise of a new middle class, have created domestic markets with immense business potential, emerging as the new focus of global economic growth. To enable Taiwanese businesses to reap the benefits brought about by the growth of Southeast Asian and South Asian economies, the economic and trade cooperation objective of the New Southbound Policy is to allow Taiwanese companies to transcend their previous export processing models for ASEAN and South Asia, and establish bilateral industrial cooperation and trade exchange models with countries included in the New Southbound Policy, using the markets of the New Southbound countries to expand domestic markets. From the perspective of foreign investment motivation, Taiwanese businesses should shift from defensive, cost-centred investment strategies to expansive, market-centred strategies. From a strategic perspective, they should shift from processing and manufacturing operations to create own-brand and distribution operations. From a mode of operations perspective, they should shift from a one-product-fits-all production and sales model to one that manufactures and markets products suited to different markets. Moreover, businesses should enhance the added value of their products and services, such as converting single-item products or services into software-hardware integrated systems and package plant export. In context of the development of local spending and infrastructure as well as the demand for industrial transition, the economic and trade cooperation between Taiwan and New Southbound Policy target countries can be initiated by supporting the integration of industry value chains, domestic market connections, infrastructure construction cooperation, and systems integration services in order to pave the way for the next generation of industrial and trade cooperation. Medium-to-high-income urban consumers should be selected as the target customers in formulating customized marketing strategies that utilize cross-border e-commerce and physical distribution channels to overcome marketing obstructions and promote trade and investment. Moreover, Taiwanese businesses should secure strategic alliances with multinational corporations to compete for infrastructure construction projects and opportunities to collaborate with emerging industries. Taiwanese businesses should also strive to eliminate market entry obstructions by establishing a dedicated service window for collecting market data and establishing interpersonal networks, thereby promoting the mutual prosperity of Taiwan’s economy and the economies of countries included in the New Southbound Policy. 1.2. Policy Objectives (1) To accurately understand the industrial development conditions, industrial development demands, and opportunities for reciprocal cooperation in New Southbound Policy target countries; establish bilateral dialogue through the involvement of industry associations and corporate bodies; and promote industry cooperation that profits both parties. (2) To review and adjust existing trade expansion activities, enhance their effectiveness, and ensure cost-effectiveness; utilize and innovate competitive Taiwanese products and services (e.g., agricultural products) to expand marketing activities and pro-actively expand into the domestic markets of countries included in the New Southbound Policy. (3) To organize exhibitions in major cities to promote the image and products of Taiwan and reinforce the promotion of Taiwan in general exhibitions and marketing events. (4) To provide sufficient information on industry, investment, trade, and tax laws and regulations in New Southbound Policy target countries to Taiwanese enterprises; and to provide necessary risk management assistance and guidance to enterprises. (5) To utilize organizational and collective efforts in securing consultation and advisory services or providing construction tenders for competitive infrastructure construction and systems integration export bidding. (6) To increase the capital and funding for the Import-Export Bank of the ROC and overseas trusts; provide adequate funds (e.g., financing, bonds, securities, and buyer’s credit) to businesses for expanding into overseas markets by utilizing the resources of commercial and government-run banks; as well as encouraging Taiwanese banks to establish branches in countries included in the New Southbound Policy to provide local services to Taiwanese enterprises. 1.3. Operational Guidelines and Specifications The newly passed or added operational guidelines and projects for 2017 are as follows: 1.3.1. Industry Cooperation and Trade/Economic Expansion (1) Promoting two-way industry cooperation: This aims to prioritize think tanks and research teams to promote national and industrial development features, and clearly assess cooperation regions and methods, thereby establishing and reinforcing long-term and stable industrial links, promoting two-way industry associations and positive exchanges between think tanks and technical entities, and stipulating official economics and trade discussion outlines. The goal is to garner industry cooperation opportunities with no fewer than four New Southbound target countries, establish industrial exchange platforms and activities, and sign at least one cooperation agreement or memorandum each year. (2) Engaging in comprehensive trade expansion: This aims to select potential products, such as locally in-demand consumables, machines, tools, and medical equipment, and services, such as digital content, franchises, information services, healthcare, and catering, for overseas expansion, with dispatching interdisciplinary consultation service teams and establishing e-commerce channels as the focus for trade expansion. A marketing centre for Taiwanese products and a machine buyer alliance will be established to foster technical operators in the target market. Innovative marketing methods, such as arranging a Taiwan Industry Day, can be adopted to achieve comprehensive trade expansion. The goal is to provide over 17,500 services to enterprises in e-commerce and e-marketing, creating at least US$420 million in purchasing value. In terms of service expansion, the goal is to serve over 50 enterprises and create at least US$30 million in business value. Moreover, no fewer than three machine buyer alliances will be established to serve no fewer than 300 local alliance members. (3) Expanding e-commerce in southbound markets: This aims to provide assistance to local e-commerce providers to expand into ASEAN markets and cooperate with local businesses or operate domestically. Assistance will also be provided to e-commerce providers such as PChome, Momo and Uitox in seeking out local distributors or support providers in establishing local cash and material flow service systems and reinforcing local competitiveness. Moreover, local businesses will be aided in integrating into local community operations to improve Taiwanese e-commerce platforms and enhance the popularity and circulation of key products, thereby ensuring the integrity of the cross-border operation ecosystems in ASEAN countries. The goal is to get no fewer than 3,000 products from 200 Taiwanese brands on shelves per year. (4) Reinforcing the export of agricultural products: This aims to establish the International Taiwan Agriculture Development Company to create an export and supply system that provides stable product quantity and quality. Subsequently, fresh and frozen produce will be the main export products. The goal is to ship fresh and frozen products to the 18 countries included in the New Southbound Policy in 2017 and increase export volume by 10% compared with 2015. (5) Reinforcing Taiwan’s overall image: The goal is to organize no fewer than four Taiwanese exhibitions in key cities in New Southbound Policy target countries and establish Taiwan boutique displays in at least 11 overseas exhibition events to increase the level of acceptance of Taiwanese products by Southeast Asian customers by 3% per year. (6) Assisting the expansion of Taiwanese businesses: This aims to establish Taiwanese offices in a number of New Southbound Policy target countries, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, and India, to provide Taiwanese businesses with information concerning domestic laws, accounting, taxation, and industries. The goal is to provide no fewer than 1,000 investment consultation services, including investment environment safety reports in the countries included in the New Southbound Policy, as well as risk management assistance. 1.3.2. Infrastructure Construction Cooperation and Systems Integration Exports (1) Promoting infrastructure construction cooperation: This aims to combine five major fields, namely Electronic Toll Collection (ETC), Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems, environmental engineering, power plants, and petrochemical plants, with potential businesses to establish an export team. The team aims to provide consultation and advisory services and construction export in New Southbound Policy target countries. The team will establish a construction globalization platform and related meetings to coordinate and overcome the challenges which the construction industry’s offshore operations face. The goal is to secure at least one consultation and advisory contract for international ETC in 2017, at least one consultation and advisory contract for MRT maintenance and electronic ticketing, at least one offshore construction or expansion contract concerning environmental protection or resource mining, at least one contract for the construction of a power plant, and at least one contract for the construction of a petrochemical plant. (2) Enhancing systems integration exports: This aims to combine seven major fields — namely green transportation, smart logistics, smart healthcare, smart campus technology, e-government, light-emitting diode (LED) technology, and cloud systems — with potential businesses to establish an export team. The goal is to secure at least five contracts in New Southbound Policy target countries; establish four industry alliances for information and communication, engineering, security control, and green energy; and establish three teams to secure government procurement contracts in New Southbound Policy countries. 1.3.3. Financial Support (1) Augmenting the finance functions of the Import-Export Bank of the ROC: This aims to gradually increase relevant capital to NT$3.2 billion by 2018. The already-established Export Loan Platform for the Systems, Finishing Plant, and Construction Industries will be combined with the financial resources of government-run and commercial banks to enhance the financing services provided to enterprises, provide discount financing and assurance conditions, upgrade insurance premiums, and provide discounts for buyer credit fees. The goal is to secure an approval rate of 4.95% from the ImportExport Bank for loans related to the New Southbound Policy, and achieve an annual assurance quota growth of 2%. (2) Enhancing the assurance function of overseas trusts and funds: This aims to expand funds and project finance assurances in Southeast Asia to include New Southbound countries. The goal is to increase the limit for each project to US$2 million and achieve an annual assurance quota growth of 6% for offshore credit guarantee funds. (3) Increase the number of offshore branches of Taiwanese banks: This aims to provide assistance to local banks to establish three offshore branches in New Southbound Policy target countries. The goal is to approve the establishment of three offshore branches each year. 38 Appendix / New Southbound Policy Working Plan An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 39 2. Talent Exchange 2.1. Policy Orientation Based on geography, the overseas Taiwanese community, and industry development policies, Taiwan’s talent exchanges with ASEAN and South Asian countries have been largely unidirectional. Seldom are these exchanges bilateral. To satisfy the demands of both parties, a people-centred, two-way exchange strategy will be implemented to reinforce education, industrial talent exchange, and supplementation and cooperation between the talent resources of Taiwan and those in ASEAN and South Asian countries. The talent exchange objective of the New Southbound Policy transcends the previous narrow considerations of domestic demand; instead, the policy aims to attract blue-collar workers from the New Southbound countries to satisfy the demands of and promote growth in all countries (for blue- and white-collar workers alike). The policy focuses on two-way exchange to develop lifelong learning plans and environmental measures for talent in both countries. The policy not only aims to enhance the quality of talent in New Southbound countries, but also to foster relevant talent for enterprises in Taiwan, increasing employment and income in Taiwan as well as the New Southbound countries, thereby promoting mutually beneficial relationships. The success factor of the New Southbound Policy is that it eliminates the talent shortage bottleneck in these countries. By supplying short-term talents and fostering long-term talents, New Southbound countries can develop robust talent pools. There are currently about 590,000 blue-collar workers and 150,000 foreign spouses in Taiwan. These are human resources who should be fully utilized to develop talent in order to manage New Southbound markets and serve as a bridge between Taiwan and the New Southbound countries. Moreover, the policy aims to foster second-generation immigrants in Taiwan to become the candidates to actuate the New Southbound Policy. In addition, in order to satisfy the demands of industries in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, the policy aims to utilize the technical education advantage of Taiwan to invest in professional talent cultivation and skills training in Southeast Asia and South Asia, including two-way student exchanges, two-way education collaboration, and generalized language training, thereby fostering short- and long-term talents who meet industry requirements. 2.2. Policy Objectives (1) To provide training to students in New Southbound countries in the areas of Taiwanese experience, technical practices, and communication, thereby increasing acceptance towards the higher education and technical training quality of Taiwan; and to form strong associations through the efforts of Taiwanese associations. (2) To provide training to students in Taiwan in the areas of economics and trade management, cultural understanding, and ASEAN languages, thereby reinforcing their understanding and acknowledgement of New Southbound countries and fostering talent with an understanding of regional economics and trade as well as relevant laws and regulations. (3) To assist Taiwanese vendors and companies in cultivating domestic professionals, increasing the human resources in New Southbound enterprises, developing key industries, and enhancing competitiveness. (4) To make foreign workers and international students into suitable candidates to promote industrial development in Taiwan or manage Taiwanese companies in Southeast Asia, thereby creating a mutually beneficial situation. (5) To encourage the involvement of Southeast Asian immigrants and urge them to promote their culture, thereby expediting cultural exchanges and strengthening ties between Taiwan and New Southbound countries. 2.3. Operational Guidelines and Specifications The newly ratified or promoted operational guidelines and specification for 2017 are as follows: 2.3.1. Talent Cultivation (1) Integrating and increasing scholarships to attract international students: This objective aims to integrate and increase Taiwanese scholarships, Taiwanese language scholarships, short-term research scholarships, government scholarships, the Southern Sunshine Scholarship, and the TEEP scholarships to attract outstanding international students to study in Taiwan. In addition, the aim is to increase elite international student scholarships, outstanding international student scholarships to help colleges and universities establish research institutes, as well as subsidized scholarships for low-income overseas Taiwanese students. The goal is to achieve 10% annual growth in the number of applications for the Taiwan New Southbound Subsidization and Grants program in accordance with the New Southbound Policy, increase the number of students enrolled in technical training courses for international students (the target is 1,400, 1,540, 1,680, and 1,820 for 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively), and multiply the number of students enrolled in technical and vocational courses for international students (the target goal is 1,500 every year between 2017 and 2020). (2) Encouraging students to study in ASEAN and South Asian countries: The objective is to establish governmentsponsored scholarships for New Southbound countries and expand the Pilot Overseas Internship Project to ASEAN and South Asian countries. The goal is to allocate government-sponsored, research, or internship scholarships to no less than 200 students in New Southbound countries. (3) Establishing the Contact Taiwan recruitment platform and promoting the Taiwan Connection Project: This objective aims to establish the Contact Taiwan recruitment platform to connect foreign and domestic international students with enterprises and help enterprises find the talent they require. Moreover, the Taiwan Connection Project will be promoted in Taiwan to integrate overseas offices, Taiwanese education centres, Taiwanese school teachers, Taiwanese alumni associations, Taiwanese academic seminars, Taiwanese schools in Southeast Asia, and Taiwanese vendor organizations. The goal is to establish 10 new connections through the Taiwan Connection project in 2017. 2.3.2 Industry/Labour Cooperation (1) Organizing academic-industry cooperation (AIC) and technical training courses: This objective aims to arrange AIC courses (degree courses), short-term technical training courses (non-degree courses), and short-term professional teacher-training courses (non-degree courses) for international students from the New Southbound countries. The goal is to train 1,600, 200, and 200 students in the respective courses by the end of 2017. (2) Subsidizing internship programs: The goal is to provide subsidies to 500 Taiwanese trainees and interns in Taiwanese companies or multinational corporations in ASEAN and South Asian countries in the fields of commerce, engineering, medicine, agriculture, and education in 2017, as well as scholarships to 120 Taiwanese international trade students interning in companies or institutes in Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and India. (3) Attracting experienced foreign technical professionals: This objective is aimed at planning and establishing an assessment system for experienced foreign technical professionals and increasing the assessments of southbound developing industries in the Government Cooperation Policy in order to encourage Taiwanese vendors in New Southbound countries to continue operating in Taiwan or expand overseas. The goal is to task the Consultative Group on Transnational Workforce Policy in formulating an assessment system for experienced foreign technical professionals in Taiwan in 2017. (4) Establishing a business and recruitment information platform for Taiwanese vendors: The goal is to complete the establishment and activation of a business and recruitment information platform for Taiwanese vendors in 2017. The platform will serve as a search engine for foreign workers in Taiwan, enabling them to seek further employment with Taiwanese vendors in New Southbound countries once their work contracts have expired. 2.3.3. Immigrant Training (1) Fostering second-generation immigrants: This objective aims to organize the Southeast Asian Languages and Industry Credit Program for second-generation immigrants and provide them with internship opportunities. In addition, exchange programs for members of the Southeast Asian Immigrant International Study Camp, subsidization for secondgeneration immigrants to learn more about the key fields and languages of ASEAN and South Asian countries, and postgraduation employment consultation will be provided. The goal is to foster 20 students and encourage no fewer than 200 children of immigrants to travel to their parents’ original countries during summer and winter vacations in 2017. (2) Fostering immigrant service docents: This objective aims to assist immigrants in becoming docents for providing Southeast Asian language services and promoting language and cultural experience activities. The goal is to foster no fewer than 20 immigrants from four countries (Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Thailand) to become service docents, serving no fewer than 300 people in 2017. 3. Resource Sharing 3.1. Policy Orientation To create a new development model for Taiwan’s economy and enhance the configuration and diversity of Taiwan’s international economics and trade, it is essential that cooperation with the New Southbound countries be reinforced. Without diplomatic ties with ASEAN countries, South Asian countries, New Zealand, and Australia, Taiwan must utilize its soft power advantages in the fields of medicine, culture, tourism, technology, and agriculture as stepping stones to establish and reinforce relationships with the New Southbound countries and identify bilateral or multilateral cooperation opportunities. Moreover, economic and trade cooperation, talent exchange, and regional integration should be integrated to facilitate the mutual growth of economies, industries, and human resources in Taiwan and the New Southbound countries, maximizing the support of external powers in Taiwan’s structural adjustment, thereby achieving mutually beneficial situations and cocreating regional development and prosperity. The New Southbound Policy focuses on people-centred concepts and encourages the diversification of exchanges to develop the social and cultural relationships between Taiwan and the New Southbound countries. Moreover, the policy details the utilization of Taiwan’s advantages in medicine, technology, and agriculture to enhance the quality and convenience of life in the New Southbound countries. The Taiwanese government will assess the needs of the New Southbound countries and integrate the resources of various ministry departments, local governments, and private enterprises and organizations to share its experience in the fields of medicine and public health, agricultural technology, and technology development with the New Southbound countries to create bilateral or multilateral cooperation. The policy further aims to reinforce the interpersonal relationships between Taiwan and New Southbound countries through tourism and cultural exchanges, thereby creating mutually beneficial partnerships with the New Southbound countries. 3.2. Policy Objectives (1) Medicine: To promote cooperation with the New Southbound countries in terms of medicine, public health, and epidemic prevention, including exchanges and cooperation between medical institutions, medical accreditation, and new medicine or instrument development; foster medical personnel in the New Southbound countries; provide medical services and resources in the New Southbound countries; and assist ASEAN and South Asian countries in epidemic surveys and prevention tasks. (2) Tourism: To lift visa restrictions and enhance the convenience of visiting Taiwan; extensively uncovering new customers by broadly marketing Taiwan through Taiwanese support groups; foster tourism professionals to help them improve the tourism environment; and maximize the cultural resources of indigenous peoples to promote tribal tours. 4 40 Appendix / New Southbound Policy Working Plan An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 41 (3) Culture: To actively engage in exchanges with the New Southbound countries at various levels; combine the efforts of local governments to expand cultural relationships; reinforce the marketing of Taiwan’s features and cultures; improve cultural exchanges with the southern islands; promote Hakka southbound international exchanges; and promote cultural exchanges with the National Palace Museum. (4) Agriculture: To assist in improving the agricultural capability of ASEAN and South Asian countries; establish and promote Taiwan’s agricultural network; shape Taiwan into a high-technology agriculture nation and diversely promote Taiwan’s agricultural products, techniques, and services in overseas markets; and negotiate agricultural cooperation and development to ensure food safety. (5) Technology: To establish a New Southbound technology development strategy in Taiwan; establish a long-term and stable regional research-and-development linking and resource-sharing platform; promote dialogue and cooperation at the executive level; and expand disaster prevention exchanges. 3.3. Operational Guidelines and Specifications The newly ratified or promoted operational guidelines and specifications for 2017 are as follows: 3.3.1. Medical and Public Health Cooperation (1) Promoting international cooperation: This objective aims to encourage domestic medical institutes to cooperate with New Southbound countries and international organizations. The objective is to establish top medical education teams in Taiwan and foster seed teachers in New Southbound countries. The goal is to attract five doctors from New Southbound countries to train in Taiwan. This objective also facilitates cooperation between Taiwanese medical institutes and international organizations, such as the ICS Humanitarian Medical Assistance Program organized by the Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, to recruit outstanding surgeons to work in Indonesia. The goal is to increase the number of cooperation instances by 10% every year and expand into different New Southbound countries. (2) Promoting laboratory accreditation and drug/instrument testing and technical cooperation: The goal is to evaluate the feasibility of mutually accrediting at least two laboratories in the New Southbound countries; establish inspection and technical specifications for medical products and cooperation mechanisms concerning the testing of medical equipment in New Southbound countries, completing standardized testing and comparison of at least one type of medical equipment in the New Southbound countries; and reinforce the food safety net between Taiwan and New Southbound countries. (3) Promoting the reconciliation of medical regulations: The objective is to research the medical equipment regulations and management systems in New Southbound countries, compare differences in regulations, and create a report concerning suggestions for technical cooperation between Taiwan and the New Southbound countries. The goal is to organize at least one international conference to analyse regulations in 2017, and establish a dedicated medical window with the New Southbound countries to reinforce the professional competency of Taiwanese legal experts on the medical equipment regulations and management systems in the New Southbound countries. (4) Training medical and health professionals: The goal is to train 15 medical and health professional in New Southbound countries in 2017; collaborate with Taiwanese hospitals in sending teams to New Southbound countries to provide at least 100 professional skills training or education and training courses in 2017; organize competency training courses for global health and epidemic prevention based on GCTF and invite at least 10 ASEAN officials and experts to participate in the courses. (5) Providing medical and humanitarian support: The goal is to provide national medical services or medical supplies in accordance with the New Southbound Policy at least twice in 2017. (6) Promoting epidemic prevention cooperation: The objective is to assist New Southbound countries in identifying and diagnosing viruses such as dengue and zika, and other emerging infectious diseases. The goal is to organize at least one training session with at least 20 participants from 10 countries in 2017; establish an information and detection system for infectious diseases and promote the current GIS used in Taiwan to analyse dengue fever and other infectious diseases to other countries; and facilitate the training of epidemiologists in ASEAN and South Asian countries. 3.3.2. Tourism Promotion (1) Implementing convenient Taiwan visas: This objective is aimed at accelerating the promotion of visa-free travel between Taiwan and ASEAN/South Asian countries; increasing the number of countries eligible for the Online Application for Taiwan Travel Authorization Certificate and the Operating Regulations for Approving Visas to Taiwan for Quality Southeast Asian Tour Groups; and expanding the scope of applicability of e-visas. (2) Encouraging tourism in Taiwan: This objective aims to utilize Taiwanese vendors, international students, and overseas Taiwanese networks to provide travel information, discounts, and incentives for employees of Taiwanese vendors and students’ family members to visit Taiwan; reinforce the relationship between Taiwan and its international students and overseas Taiwanese students; encourage county and city governments to step up their marketing in southbound markets; urge private unions and associations to organize southbound empowerment activities; promote Muslim-friendly environments; reinforce the relationship between the tourism industry and overseas Taiwanese students as well as facilitating connectivity between them; and arrange delegations or exploration tribal tours to promote Taiwan’s indigenous tourism industry. If an offshore office can be established in Bangkok, Thailand, an estimated 1.8 million, 2 million, and 2.2 million visitors can be attracted to Taiwan in 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. 3.3.3. Cultural Exchange (1) Facilitating cultural exchanges: This objective aims to enhance two-way exchange subsidization for cultural professionals in New Southbound countries, with a goal of engaging in at least 200 art and culture exchanges in 2017; invite international non-profit organizations to establish branches in Taiwan, with a goal of helping at least one Southeast Asian organization establish an offshore office in Taiwan in 2017; establish diplomatic locations in New Southbound cities, with a goal of organizing at least one visitation or exchange activity in each location every year to promote intercity exchanges; reinforce cultural, creative, and industrial exchanges between countries, promote two-way cultural publishing, art group exchange, and film and television cooperation; and organize the Southeast Asia Art Festival. (2) Improving indigenous cultural exchanges: This objective aims to improve the economics and trade between Taiwan and the indigenous people of New Zealand, tribal tourism, and language revival, with the goal of organizing at least one international indigenous-language conference, arrange at least one film and television exchange with New Zealand’s Maori Television Station, and provide at least 10 indigenous college students with exchange opportunities to New Zealand; establish a permanent organization for re-establishing the Forum of Austronesia Cooperation and Exchange with the goal of organizing an annual International Austronesia Conference and inviting leaders and expert scholars in at least eight Austronesian countries and regions to collectively discuss the development of indigenous societies, thereby advocating Austronesian identity and promoting the development of regional societies and establishing a cooperation platform; construct visitor-friendly museum environments to attract visitors from New Southbound countries to Taiwan and promoting inter-museum exchanges and talent cultivation. (3) Encouraging Hakka cultural exchanges: This objective is aimed at enhancing the substantial cooperation and exchange of Hakka groups in New Southbound countries, with the goal of dispatching personnel to Southeast Asian regions to promote exchange in 2017; invite scholars and new Hakka immigrants and their children to visit/return to native Hakka regions to collect data and survey the communities; and dispatch domestic Hakka teams to Hakka communities in Southeast Asia to promote community development, local cultural information surveys, and interactive exchanges, with the goal of organizing international cooperation and exchanges with at least 100 participants. 3.3.4. Agricultural Cooperation (1) Improving agricultural technical cooperation: This objective is aimed at enhancing agricultural operations in ASEAN and South Asian countries through technical cooperation, assistance, and training, and support the Agricultural Development Project, the work of Thailand’s Royal Project Foundation, the Myanmar Agriculture Course, and the Agriculture Development Course, with the goal of increasing training volume by 5% each year. (2) Improving agricultural production and marketing and storage/logistics cooperation: The objective is to promote two-way cooperation on production, marketing, storage, and logistics in the agricultural industry and enter into cooperation agreements or conventions with Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Myanmar, India, and Indonesia, with a goal of achieving at least 10 agriculture-related technical cooperation contracts. (3) Assisting private vendor cooperation: This objective is aimed at establishing at least three demonstration gardens in New Southbound countries in 2017, importing Taiwanese species, fertilizers, and agricultural machinery to achieve largescale cooperation, replenish products in short supply in Taiwan, and ensure food safety. 3.3.5. Technological Cooperation (1) Analysing technical cooperation strategies: This objective is aimed at systematically exploring standards for new technology research and innovation cooperation between Taiwan and the New Southbound countries, establishing a technical cooperation standards analysis database for six countries, and creating short-, mid-, and long-term promotional strategies, with the goal of providing subsidization for the establishment of at least two research centres and 20 research projects in ASEAN and South Asian countries. (2) Subsidizing AIC projects: This objective is aimed at subsidizing industrial research projects based on the technical strengths of Taiwan (environmental protection, energy, and ICT) and addressing livelihood and science education issues. The goal is to establish at least two research teams to engage in goal-oriented research projects, and complete the subtitling and voice-overs of at least 20 outstanding science education videos produced by the Ministry of Science and Technology into Southeast Asian languages, which would facilitate the market expansion of relevant Taiwanese industries. (3) Promoting academic cooperation and resource sharing: This objective is aimed at formulating goal-oriented research projects, establishing regional disaster/epidemic prevention networks to address common regional problems, such as disaster prevention, global science, climate change, and new regional infectious diseases by participating in APEC activities and two-way technical support. The goal is to subsidize at least 12 professional training courses to help an estimated 500 students in New Southbound countries each year, subsidize at least 10 goal-oriented research teams, and attract at least 200 technical professionals in New Southbound countries to participate in research projects in Taiwan. 4. Regional Integration 4.1. Policy Orientation Restricted by the international political situation, Taiwan has focused on maintaining long-term economic and trade relations with New Southbound countries, including import and export trade or local investment with Taiwanese businesses. 42 Appendix / Visa Regulations Between Taiwan and the 18 Countries An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 43 However, the investment models of Taiwanese businesses largely centre on export processing, greatly limiting the relationship between Taiwanese businesses and local markets/society. Although Taiwan has engaged in a number of government agreements, international cooperation projects, dialogue platforms, and other interactive mechanisms, most of these mechanisms are based on specific fields such as economics and trade or agricultural techniques, highlighting the need for innovation in these fields and models of cooperation. To reduce costs, many Taiwanese businesses that originally invested in Southeast Asia have gradually shifted to mainland China since the 1990s. The influence of Taiwanese businesses in Southeast Asia has decreased in recent years. By comparison, these countries have become strategic regions for Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Europe, and the United States, all of which have established strong footholds there. Taiwan is thus challenged with competing with various countries despite extremely limited resources. As a result, Taiwan must reinforce regional integration with Southeast Asian and South Asian countries, and establish bilateral or multilateral systematic cooperation models with these countries, undertaking actions such as entering economic cooperation agreements (ECAs), updating and strengthening existing investment and tax agreements, and prioritizing negotiation and dialogue. Taiwan must also shift the previous solitary models to those that embrace cooperation resource integration and advantage complementarities. Efforts should centre on niche fields, and the mutual benefits shared by Taiwan and the New Southbound countries should be maximized by fostering partnerships with international organizations, utilizing the resources of private organizations and overseas Taiwanese networks, as well as engaging in third-party cooperation. 4.2. Policy Objectives (1) To deepen substantial relationships through systematised cooperation; enter or update economic cooperation agreements, investment agreements and tax agreements; promote multi-level, multi-faceted dialogues; adjust and improve the allocation of foreign aid; and cooperate with other countries, private companies, and NGOs to expand various substantial relationships. (2) To establish an overseas Taiwanese database and exchange platform and integrate or expand the functions of Taiwanese businesses and organizations, thereby promoting cooperation between overseas Taiwanese businesses and domestic companies. 4.3. Operational Guidelines and Specifications The newly ratified or promoted operational guidelines and specifications for 2017 are as follows: 4.3.1. Regional Integration (1) Promote the signing and updating of bilateral investment agreements: This aims to actively encourage New Southbound countries that have yet to sign an agreement with Taiwan to enter into agreements and reinforce the content of existing agreements with other countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India. (2) Promote the signing of double taxation avoidance and bilateral economic cooperation agreements. 4.3.2. Regular Consultation Mechanisms (1) Establish or reinforce bilateral consultation mechanisms: This aims to establish or reinforce the bilateral dialogue mechanisms between Taiwan and New Southbound countries. The goal is to engage in no less than 12 dialogues with New Southbound countries each year, overcome trade obstacles, promote industrial/investment/SME cooperation, and secure no fewer than 20 bilateral cooperation projects. (2) Organize the Taiwan-ASEAN Dialogue Forum: The goal is to organize at least one forum each year and invite the participation of industry and academic experts from New Southbound countries, thereby forming a regular track oneand-a-half dialogue mechanism. (3) Promote benign cross-strait interaction and cooperation: This aims to encourage dialogue and negotiation to address specific issues and promote cooperation with mainland China on proper occasions in accordance with overall cross-strait development. 4.3.3. Strategic Alliances (1) Utilize Taiwan’s foreign aid resources: This aims to promote the Taiwan Digital Opportunity Center (TDOC) project; promote capacity-building cooperation in the areas of agriculture and fishing, solar energy generation, e-commerce, and occupational training. The goal is to establish a TDOC in New Southbound countries each year and increase the number of trainees by 10% each year. (2) Leverage third-country resources: This aims to leverage Taiwan’s advantages in industrial and operations management to participate in the new strategic plans of global and multinational Japanese businesses, and seize opportunities to promote third-party supply chain cooperation between Taiwanese and Japanese businesses. The goal is to hold matchmaking events and facilitate cooperation or talks among no less than 30 enterprises. (3) Reinforce cooperation with private organizations: This aims to organize bilateral economic and trade meetings and mutual visits among industrial and commercial organizations in New Southbound countries; encourage Taiwanese NGOs to participate in humanitarian care, environmental protection, and youth exchange activities in New Southbound countries. The goal is to recruit no fewer than 2,200 youth volunteers to participate in overseas activities. 4.3.4 Overseas Taiwanese Networks (1) Enhance organizational functions of Taiwanese vendors: This aims to establish an overseas Taiwanese database; elucidate the operating and market conditions of Taiwanese businesses; and assist Taiwanese businesses in their recruitment efforts. The goal is to organize no fewer than three regional job fairs for Taiwanese businesses in Southeast Asia each year. (2) Assist Taiwanese businesses in organizing diverse economic and trade activities: This aims to provide assistance to overseas Taiwanese organizations so as to provide offshore investment counselling, employment training, and other economic and trade services to Taiwanese people in the region. The goal is to organize no fewer than 100 economic and trade events in 2017. (3) Establish interpersonal exchange networks: This objective aims to promote and establish an interpersonal database for the New Southbound Policy, with the goal of increasing the size of the database by 5% each year; and encourage the establishment of a cooperation and exchange platform linking domestic and overseas Taiwanese. New visa regulations for passport holders from South and Southeast Asian countries took effect on June 1, 2017, as part of efforts to expand multifaceted exchanges with the regions under the government’s New Southbound Policy. Under the revised rules, passport holders from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam who have been issued an entry visa or alien resident certificate by the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the past 10 years are now eligible to apply online at no cost for a Travel Authorization Certificate. The TAC program, launched in 2009, offers a multiple-entry visa that is valid for 90 days and permits a maximum stay of 30 days. According to the MOFA, this mechanism currently facilitates 160,000 visits from Southeast Asian countries annually. The new regulations are expected to further boost people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and the region since an estimated 1.35 million people from the seven aforementioned countries have been issued visas in the past decade, making them eligible to apply under the TAC program. The TAC eligibility changes do not apply to nationals of these countries who have previously engaged in blue-collar work in Taiwan or have a record of immigration irregularities or legal violations. Nationals from Bhutan and Sri Lanka can now apply for tourist visas to Taiwan. In addition, passport holders from the two nations are no longer required to have a Taiwan company as a guarantor when requesting business visas, while ROC overseas missions have been authorized to grant one-year multiple-entry visas to Bhutanese and Sri Lankan business travelers who make frequent trips to Taiwan. The MOFA has also extended its eVisa scheme to include business travelers from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Nationals from these countries who receive recommendations from branch offices of the government-supported Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) can apply for e-visas online once their application has been approved by the ministry’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. Launched in January 2016, the eVisa scheme aims to boost the nation’s overseas commercial ties, enable convenient travel to trade shows and other events in Taiwan, and help local enterprises identify new economic opportunities. Besides passport holders from the seven new additions, citizens from 20 ROC diplomatic allies and 14 other nations, as well as travelers from all countries and territories invited to attend major international events such as conferences, sporting competitions and trade fairs, can apply to visit Taiwan under the eVisa scheme. Taiwan currently offers visa-free privileges of either 30 or 90 days to passport holders from 48 countries, with the government working to further streamline the visa application process so as to expand international exchanges and strengthen the nation’s tourism sector. The latest changes mark the second wave of visa relaxation measures for passport holders from New Southbound Policy target countries since September last year. One of the central planks in President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) national development strategy, the New Southbound Policy seeks to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, trade and tourism links with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. C. New Visa Regulations Between Taiwan and the 18 Countries of the New Southbound Policy Country Visa Requirements for Visiting (Taiwan) Visa Requirements for Taiwanese Travelers 44 Appendix / Contact details An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 45 Australia Visas for Taiwan Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 90 days Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia TEL: +61-2-6120-2000 Emergency contact: +61-418-284-531 Email: ecoteco@bigpond.com australia@moea.gov.tw Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/au_en/index.html Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney TEL: +61-2-9223-3233 Emergency contact: +61-418-415-572 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/ausyd_en/index.html Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Melbourne, Australia TEL: +61-3-9650-8611 Emergency contact: +61-413-880-934 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/aumel_en/index.html Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Brisbane, Australia TEL: +61-7-3229-5168 Emergency contact: +61-437-921-436 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/aubne_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center Sydney TEL: +61-2-9279-4800 Website: http://sydney.taiwantrade.com/ Bangladesh Visas for Taiwan Visa required for the following purposes: 1. Invited by the Republic of China government agencies on official missions. 2. Participating in international meetings or activities for the purposes of religious, athletic, or cultural exchange, which are held by the organizations legally set up in the Republic of China. 3. Visiting relatives with legal residence status in the Republic of China, including spouse, family members of lineal relationship, or siblings. 4. Conducting economic and commercial business (including accompanying spouse or children); businesspeople at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) are eligible for an eVisa. 5. Crew members intending to come to the Republic of China to report for duty. 6. Medical treatment. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India TEL: 91-11-46077777 Email: india@moea.gov.tw Emergency contact: +91-98201602610 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/in_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Dhaka TEL: +91-880 - 2-9840704 Website: http://dhaka.taiwantrade.com/ Bhutan Visas for Taiwan 1. Nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka are eligible to apply for tourist visas. D. Mutual Visa Requirements Between Taiwan and the 18 Countries of the New Southbound Policy E. Contact details 2. For nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka applying for business visas, the overseas missions of the R.O.C. will not request a Guarantee of Sponsorship from the applicant’s sponsor in Taiwan. 3. Nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka for the purpose of conducting business at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) are eligible for an eVisa. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India TEL: +91-11- 4607-7777 Emergency contact: +91-98201602610 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/in_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Dhaka TEL: +91-880 -2-9840704 Website: http://dhaka.taiwantrade.com/ Brunei Visas for Taiwan Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days (Effective from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018) Applicable to holders of Brunei Certificate of Identity) Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brunei Darussalam TEL: +673-245-5482, 245-5483, 245-5485 245-5486 Emergency contact: +673-895-6338 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/bn_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Kuala Lumpur TEL: +60-3-20312388 Website: http://kualalumpur.taiwantrade.com/ Cambodia Visas for Taiwan 1. Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate (https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast). 2. Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries (https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRVWeb/). 3. Multiple-entry visas with long validity for more than 2 years. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, HCM TEL: +84-8-38349160~5 Emergency contact: +84-903-927019 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/vnsgn_en/index.html (Cambodia Info: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/kh/index.html) Taiwan Trade Center TEL: +84 -8-39390837 Website: http://hochiminh.taiwantrade.com/index.jsp India Visas for Taiwan 1. Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate. 2. Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries. 3. Nationals of India for the purpose of conducting business at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) are eligible for an eVisa. Australia New Zealand Singapore Malaysia Brunei Thailand Philippines Cambodia Indonesia Laos Myanmar Philippines Vietnam India Bhutan Sri Lanka Bangladesh Nepal Pakistan ■ Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 90 days ■ Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 90 days ■ Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days ■ Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days ■ Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days (effective from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018) ■ Applicable to holders of Brunei Certificate of Identity. ■ Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days (effective from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018) ■ eVisa with a duration of stay up to 30 days (effective from October 7, 2016, to October 6, 2017) ■ Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate (https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast) ■ Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries (https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRVWeb/) ■ Multiple-entry visas with long validity for more than 2 years ■ Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate ■ Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries ■ Nationals of India for the purpose of conducting business at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) are eligible for an eVisa. ■ Nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka are eligible to apply for tourist visas. ■ For nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka applying for business visas, the overseas missions of the R.O.C. will not request a Guarantee of Sponsorship from the applicant’s sponsor in Taiwan. ■ Nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka for the purpose of conducting business at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) are eligible for an eVisa. ■ Visa required for the following purposes: 1. Invited by the Republic of China government agencies on official missions 2. Participating in international meetings or activities for the purposes of religious, athletic, or cultural exchange, which are held by the organizations legally set up in the Republic ofChina 3. Visiting relatives with legal residence status in the Republic of China, including spouse, family members of lineal relationship, or siblings 4.Conducting economic and commercial business (including accompanying spouse or children);businesspeople at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) are eligible for an eVisa 5.Crew members intending to come to the Republic of China to report for duty 6. Medical treatment. Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 90 days Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days Landing visa with a duration of stay up to 14 days Landing visa with a duration of stay up to 15 days eVisa with a duration of stay up to 30 days Cambodia: Landing visa with a duration of stay up to 30 days Indonesia: Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days Laos: Landing visa with a duration of stay up to 14-30 days Myanmar: eVisa(http://www.evisa.moip.gov.mm/) Philippines: eVisa (https://onlinetravel.meco.org.tw/EVISA/) Vietnam: Visa required eVisa with a duration of stay up to 30 days (https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/info1.jsp) Bhutan: Visa required Sri Lanka: eVisa (http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/visainfo/center. jsp?locale=zh_HK) Bangladesh: Landing visa with a duration of stay up to 30 days Nepal: Landing visa with a duration of stay up to 30 days Pakistan: Visa required ETA with a duration of stay up to 3 months (https://www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETAS3/etas?locale =en&tab=&submit=apply) 46 Appendix / Contact details An introductory guide to Taiwan’s NEW Southbound policy 47 Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India TEL: +91-11-4607-7777 Emergency contact: +91-981-050-2610 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/in_en/index.html Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Chennai TEL: +91-44- 43024311 Emergency contact: +91-96000-99511 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/inmaa_en/index.html Taipei World Trade Center Liaison Office In Mumbai TEL: +91-22 - 22163074 Website: http://mumbai.taiwantrade.com/ Taipei World Trade Center, Chennai TEL: +91-44- 30063616 Website: http://chennai.taiwantrade.com/ Taipei World Trade Center Liaison Office in Kolkata TEL: +91-33-40042796 Website: http://kolkata.taiwantrade.com/ Indonesia Visas for Taiwan 1. Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate (https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast). 2. Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries (https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRVWeb/) Multiple-entry visas with long validity for more than 2 years. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Trade Office, Jakarta, Indonesia TEL: +62-21-515-3939 Emergency contact: +62-811-984676 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/id_en/index.html Taipei Economic and Trade Office in Surabaya TEL: +62-31-990-14600 Emergency contact: +62-822-5766-9680 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/idsub_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Jakarta TEL: +62-21-574-1102 Website: http://jakarta.taiwantrade.com/ Laos Visas for Taiwan 1. Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate (https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast). 2. Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries (https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRVWeb/). 3. Multiple-entry visas with long validity for more than 2 years. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam TEL: +84-4-3833-5501 Emergency contact: +84-913-219-986 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/vn_en/index.html Lao People’s Democratic Republic: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/lao/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Bangkok TEL: +66-2- 6514470 Website: http://bangkok.taiwantrade.com/ Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New Zealand TEL: +64-4473-6474 Emergency contact: +64-274-495-300 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/nz_en/index.html Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Auckland TEL: +64-9-303-3903 Emergency contact: +64-272-712-700 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/nzakl_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center Sydney TEL: +61-2-9279-4800 Website: http://sydney.taiwantrade.com/ Pakistan Visas for Taiwan Visa required for the following purposes: 1. Invited by the Republic of China government agencies on official missions. 2. Participating in international meetings or activities for the purposes of religious, athletic, or cultural exchange, which are held by the organizations legally set up in the Republic of China. 3. Visiting relatives with legal residence status in the Republic of China, including spouse, family members of lineal relationship, or siblings. 4. Conducting economic and commercial business (including accompanying spouse or children); businesspeople at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) are eligible for an eVisa. 5. Crew members intending to come to the Republic of China to report for duty. 6. Medical treatment. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia TEL: +966-11-4881900 Emergency contact: +966- 505-223725 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/sa_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Tehran TEL: +98-21-88794243 Website: http://tehran.taiwantrade.com/index.jsp Philippines Visas for Taiwan 1. Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days (effective from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018). 2. Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate (https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast). 3. Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries (https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRVWeb/). 4. Multiple-entry visas with long validity for more than 2 years. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines TEL: +63-2-887-6688 Emergency contact: +63- 917-8194597 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/ph_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Manila TEL: +63-2 -5517349 Website:http://manila.taiwantrade.com/ Singapore Visas for Taiwan Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days Malaysia Visas for Taiwan Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia TEL: +60-3-2161-4439, 2161-5508 Emergency contact: +60-19-381-2616 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/my_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Kuala Lumpur TEL: +60-3-20312388 Website: http://kualalumpur.taiwantrade.com/ Myanmar Visas for Taiwan 1. Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate (https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast). 2. Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries (https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRVWeb/). 3. Multiple-entry visas with long validity for more than 2 years. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Myanmar TEL: +95-1-657-772 Emergency contact: +95-925-426-9703 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/mm_mm/index.html Taiwan Trade Center TEL: +95-1 - 8603461 Website: http://yangon.taiwantrade.com/index.jsp Nepal Visas for Taiwan Visa required for the following purposes: 1. Invited by the Republic of China government agencies on official missions. 2. Participating in international meetings or activities for the purposes of religious, athletic, or cultural exchange, which are held by the organizations legally set up in the Republic of China. 3. Visiting relatives with legal residence status in the Republic of China, including spouse, family members of lineal relationship, or siblings. 4. Conducting economic and commercial business (including accompanying spouse or children); businesspeople at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) are eligible for an eVisa. 5. Crew members intending to come to the Republic of China to report for duty. 6. Medical treatment. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India TEL: (91-11) 46077777 Emergency contact: +91-9810502610 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/in_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Dhaka TEL: +91-880 - 2 - 9840704 Website: http://dhaka.taiwantrade.com/ New Zealand Visas for Taiwan Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 90 days Overseas Offices Taipei Representative Office in Singapore TEL: +65-6500-0128 Emergency contact: +65-9638-9436 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/sg_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Singapore TEL: +65-62350369 Website: http://singapore.taiwantrade.com/ Sri Lanka Visas for Taiwan 1. Nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka are eligible to apply for tourist visas. 2. For nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka applying for business visas, the overseas missions of the R.O.C. will not request a Guarantee of Sponsorship from the applicant’s sponsor in Taiwan. 3. Nationals of Bhutan and Sri Lanka for the purpose of conducting business at the recommendation of local offices of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) are eligible for an eVisa. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Chennai TEL: +91-44-4302-4311 Emergency contact: +91-99621-49906 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/inmaa_en/index.html Taipei World Trade Center, Chennai TEL: +91-44-3006-3616 Website: http://chennai.taiwantrade.com/ Thailand Visas for Taiwan Visa exemption with a duration of stay up to 30 days (effective from August 1, 2016, to July 31, 2018) Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand TEL: +66-2-670-0200~9 Emergency contact: +66-1-666-4006; +66-1-666-4008 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/th_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center, Bangkok TEL: +66-2-651-4470 Website: http://bangkok.taiwantrade.com/ Vietnam Visas for Taiwan 1. Online Application for R.O.C. (Taiwan) Travel Authorization Certificate (https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast). 2. Project for Simplifying Visa Regulations for High-end Group Tourists from Southeast Asian & Indian Countries (https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_MRVWeb/). 3. Multiple-entry visas with long validity for more than 2 years. Overseas Offices Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam TEL: +84- 4-3833-5501 Emergency contact: +84- 913-219-986 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/vn_en/index.html Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City TEL: (848)- 38349160~65 Website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/vnsgn_en/index.html Taiwan Trade Center TEL: +84 -8-39390837 Website: http://hochiminh.taiwantrade.com/ Published by: Office of Trade Negotiations, executive Yuan 行政院經貿談判辦公室 Bureau of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs 經濟部國際貿易局 © copyright 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. EDITOR: Cobus du Plessis WRITER: Crystal Hsu / Kuo Chia-erh / Jason Pan / Chen Wei-han / Ted Chen PHOTOGRAPH: Courtesy of Ho Liang-HUNG / Liberty TIMES / TAIPEI TIMES / CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY Office of Trade Negotiations / Taiwan External Trade Development Council The Industrial Technology Research Institute / Taoyuan Metro Corporation Wufeng University / The National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences National Tsing Hua University / Kenda Rubber Industrial Co / The Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp More information is available at the Taiwan Fellowships and Scholarships website: http://tafs.mofa.gov.tw/Contents.aspx?loc=en Ministry of Education Taiwan Scholarship This program is aimed at encouraging outstanding foreign students to pursue academic degrees, and to enhance exchanges between Taiwan and their home nations. Monthly stipends are NT$15,000 for undergraduate studies, and NT$20,000 for graduate school programs, along with a waiver of tuition and certain fees. Ministry of Education Short-Term Research Award This program is for foreign doctoral students or post-doctoral researchers for two to six months’ research in Taiwan. It covers an economy-class round-trip flight ticket and monthly subsidies of NT$25,000 for doctoral students and NT$40,000 for post-doctoral researchers. Ministry of Science and Technology Taiwan Scholarship Program This scholarship is mainly targeted at students from Malaysia, for graduate-school degree programs in Taiwan. It provides monthly stipends of NT$30,000, for up to two years for master’s program students, and up to three years for those in a doctoral program. Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship This program encourages foreigners to learn Mandarin to foster their understanding of Taiwanese culture and society. Recipients are granted a monthly stipend of NT$25,000 toward tuition fees and living expenses for enrolling in a two-month summer class (in June and July, or July and August). It can also be awarded to students pursuing nine-month to one-year courses. Ministry of Education Summer School Program Opportunities are offered for teachers, students, and young people from ASEAN and South Asian countries to visit Taiwan and take part in cultural exchange activities during the summer. It aims to promote interpersonal connections between the participants, and to encourage studies in Taiwan. Scholarships for Outstanding Overseas Compatriot Students This program aims to attract outstanding students to Taiwan for undergraduate studies, offering NT$12,500 for the first school year, and NT$10,000 from the second year. The Elite version of the program provides NT$25,000 per school year for eligible students. Academia Sinica Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP) Presented in collaboration with Taiwan’s national research universities that offer interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs for research and training in key scientific fields, the program provides recipients with a NT$32,000 monthly stipend for up to three years. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Taiwan Fellowship The fellowship is awarded to foreign experts and scholars to conduct research related to Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region. There are openings exclusively for scholars and experts from ASEAN countries, including professors, associate professors, research fellows, or associate research fellows, with a monthly stipend of NT$60,000. Council of Agriculture scholarships The council also offers the Agricultural Professional Visiting and Training Program, as well as the Industrial Cooperative Education Program for Students from ASEAN and South Asia. F. Scholarships and Financial Support 48 Appendix / Scholarships and Financial Support