Effectiveness of New Southbound Policy highlights Taiwan's role

ROC Central News Agency

2017/10/01 21:16:05

Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) The effectiveness of Taiwan's New Southbound Policy has been becoming more and more apparent, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) report, with continuous exchanges increasingly highlighting Taiwan's role in the Asia-Pacific region.

Foreign Minister David Lee (李大維) will present the report Monday to the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.

According to the report, important initial achievements include a vast influx of tourists from countries included in the policy.

Between January and July, Taiwan saw 1,253,592 tourist arrivals from the 18 countries covered by the policy -- a 36.7-percent increase from the same period of last year, according to ministry statistics.

During the same period, enhanced trade resulted in a 20 percent increase in growth relative to the year-earlier period, compared with a 12.28 percent growth increase enjoyed with other regions, according to the report.

In terms of education, there has been an increase in the number of students coming from countries covered by the policy to study in Taiwan, the report shows.

Between Aug. 1, 2016 and July 31, 2017, students from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Asia, Australia and New Zealand numbered 31,531, representing an increase of 2,790 from the previous year, according to the report.

The policy has also reflected positive investment by state enterprises, including CPC Corp., Taiwan (中油), which currently has 31 investment plans in ASEAN countries, according to the report.

The New Southbound Policy, implemented by the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), is aimed at boosting trade and tourism and deepening ties with countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia in an effort to reduce reliance on China.

(By Elaine Hou and William Yen)
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