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TAEF BRIEF
August 12, 2022
No. 94 |
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CONTENT
-TAEF Updates
-TAEF Commentaries
-New Southbound Policy News
-Regional Headlines |
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TAEF Celebrates its 4th Anniversary |
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August 8, 2022
A reception for TAEF's fourth anniversary was held on August 8th at The Okura Prestige Taipei. More than 20 key institutions from both the public and private sectors attended the celebration.
In his remarks, Chairman Michael Hsiao Hsin-Huang highlighted TAEF’s significant achievements over the past four years: the signing of an MOU with India’s largest think tank, Observer Research Foundation (ORF); the production of videos showcasing the New Southbound Policy (NSP) track records of 11 government agencies for two consecutive years; and two policy reports in the pipeline: the Taiwan-Australia Relations Report and the New Southbound Policy Report, where the latter serves to consolidate the outcomes of all sectors in promoting the NSP under robust public-private-people partnerships (PPPP).
Minister without Portfolio Deng Chen-chung of the Executive Yuan remarked that TAEF is a fundamental force in driving the NSP forward, which is evident in the growing international recognition of its flagship Yushan Forum held annually in October. Deputy Minister Tien Chung-kwang of the MOFA also emphasized how the Yushan Forum continues to attract high-level guests from home and abroad every year. For instance, the Forum hosted former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla in 2019; and former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2021.
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2022 SEASAT Youth Camp: Encouraging Youth's Democratic Participation in the Post Pandemic Era |
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August 3 to August 5, 2022
Jointly organized by TAEF and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the 2022 SEASAT Youth Camp was held from August 3 to August 5 in Taipei.
Chairman Michael Hsiao Hsin-Huang pointed out that TAEF and AIT have jointly organized youth activities since 2019. Shadowed under the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years, the in-person comeback of SEASAT Youth Camp this year symbolizes the dawn of the pandemic. He highlighted that Taiwan is among the 8% democracies around the world, and youths play a key role in safeguarding it. He stressed that TAEF will continue the strong partnership with AIT to contribute to youth development.
Mr. Luke Martin, the Cultural Affairs Officer of AIT, highlighted that it is a fortunate time for all of us to gather at this year’s SEASAT Youth Camp, where we are faced with fewer challenges than in other parts of the world. He stressed that in recent years, AIT has worked with Taiwan and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region on a range of pressing issues, including “youth participation” and “DEMOCRACY”, two key themes of the 2022 SEASAT Youth Camp. AIT was honored to continue collaborating with TAEF in hosting this meaningful program. He also encouraged all participants to seize this opportunity to make meaningful connections.
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Hon. Kevin Andrews, Former Australian Minister for Defense, Visits TAEF |
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July 28, 2022
On July 28, TAEF was honored to welcome Hon. Kevin Andrews, Former Australian Minister for Defense.
Dr. Alan H. Yang, the Executive Director of TAEF, gave a thorough presentation about the New Southbound Policy and TAEF’s action plans.
Australia is one of the key targets among the New Southbound partner countries. We look forward to deepening the mutual communication and understanding through exchanges between young leaders, think tanks, and parliaments.
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Mr. Twekiat Janprajak, Executive Director of Thailand Trade and Economic Office Visits TAEF |
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July 26, 2022
On July 26, TAEF was honored to welcome Mr. Twekiat Janprajak, Executive Director, and Mr. Phonlakrit Warawat, Chief of Visa / Political Section from Thailand Trade and Economic Office.
Mr. Twekiat Janprajak was inaugurated this March, and this is his first visit to TAEF. Both parties exchanged ideas on the New Southbound Policy, One Country One Center initiative, and more potential collaboration.
Thailand is one of Taiwan’s closest partners in the New Southbound region. For example, Taiwan is one of the major foreign investors in Thailand, and there are more than 1 million Taiwanese travelers visiting Thailand each year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Foreign Policy
How China-Taiwan Tensions Play Out in India |
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August 11, 2022
- Michael Kugelman, Deputy Director, Asia Program; Senior Associate for South Asia, Wilson Center in Washington
Taiwan has sought to strengthen engagement with South Asia through its New Southbound Policy, which prioritizes 18 countries for stepped-up commercial collaboration. One of the policy’s most tangible achievements so far is making more visas available to South Asians. Still, South Asian states are likely more concerned about conflict in the Taiwan Strait because it would disrupt trade with China, not because it would interrupt efforts at friendship between Taiwan and the region.
However, India has expanded economic cooperation with Taiwan more than any of its neighbors, in great part because of its sharp rivalry with China. Trade with India accounts for nearly 80 percent of Taiwan’s trade with South Asia. In recent decades, New Delhi and Taipei have inked a bilateral investment agreement and pursued science and technology cooperation.
India already carefully manages its diplomatic relations with a few rivals—the United States and Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia, to name a couple—and escalating tensions between China and Taiwan present another case. So far, India has succeeded at this balancing act by staying quiet. Sana Hashmi, Postdoctoral Fellow at Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation viewed that if New Delhi made any public statement, it would mostly likely cover the “bare minimum,” and probably not mention China or Taiwan by name. If it did, this would “mean a policy change,” she said.
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WION
All Eyes On Taiwan: What Will China Do? |
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August 10, 2022
-Dr. Sana Hashmi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation
Taiwan’s response to the latest round of China’s rather aggressive retaliation to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit has been measured and calculated yet firm. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen remarked, “We will work to maintain the peaceful and stable status quo in the Taiwan Strait. We are calm and will not act in haste. We are rational and will not act to provoke. But we will absolutely not back down.” Taiwan is showing resolve and is being transparent with swift dissemination of information but China is upping the ante in the Taiwan Strait.
China’s overreaction is very much in continuation with its conventional response whenever there is a high-profile foreign visitor to Taiwan. China wants Taiwan to get sunk into oblivion, and deprive it of any international legitimacy.
Unfortunately for China, the COVID-19 pandemic gave Taiwan a rare opportunity to reach out to the global community and expand its international space amid China’s attempts to shrink former’s international space and poach diplomatic allies. This was a direct outcome of Tsai government’s refusal to accept the 1992 consensus to govern the cross-Strait ties that led China to suspend the cross-Strait dialogue.
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The Quint
For China, US Speaker’s Taiwan Visit May Just Be an Excuse for Aggression |
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August 5, 2022
-Dr. Sana Hashmi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation
Make no mistake: the visit of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to Taiwan on 2 and 3 August is not the primary reason behind China’s military intimidation of Taiwan. It is important to emphasise that congressional visits to Taiwan are common. United States’ serving officials have visited Taiwan in the recent past, too. In 2020, the then-United States State Secretary, Keith Krach, and the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Alex Azar, visited Taiwan.
China’s ‘anger’ is not linked to just Pelosi’s visit but has been building up since 2016. When Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen assumed charge in 2016, the newly appointed government refused to accept the so-called 1992 Consensus and emphasised the self-determination of the Taiwanese people. In a 2021 article, Tsai remarked, “A fundamental part of the embrace of democracy is a firm belief that the future of Taiwan is to be decided by the Taiwanese through democratic means.”
What also angered China was the Tsai administration’s launching of the New Southbound Policy, which is a policy framework to diversify its foreign relations and engage Australia, New Zealand, and South and Southeast Asian countries. One of the major objectives has been to reduce overdependence on China by expanding the scope of its relations with other countries in the region.
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Institute of South Asian Studies
The Ripple Effect: AUKUS and the Geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific — What Is In It for India |
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June 1, 2022
-Dr. Sana Hashmi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation
The AUKUS, a trilateral defense arrangement, was established to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines and promote information sharing in 2021. After the announcement, it provoked controversies, including damaging the original submarine deal between Australia and France, and worrying China that it might undermine its ambition to dominate the sea.
Even though India isn’t a part of the pact, close relationships with AUKUS countries, existing rivalry against China and a multilateral mechanism ensures regional order are reasons shaping India’s attitude. Some in India consider it won’t benefit border disputes with China, but others believe it restores stability at sea. Nevertheless, since the deal doesn’t directly impact their interests, India is hesitant to overtly express endorsement or objection.
When it comes to national interest, the AUKUS can help to secure regional balance without entangling India into direct military conflicts. In addition, it won’t pose a threat to India’s security and will align with the South-Asia nation’s intention to engage in an issue-based coalition. On the other hand, the AUKUS might risk overshadowing the QUAD and complicating India’s plan to balance between the AUKUS members and France.
In sum, India might formally remain neutral based on its own concern, and it is the AUKUS that must avoid compromising other regional mechanisms.
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NEW SOUTHBOUND POLICY NEWS |
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The Diplomat
The Taiwan Crisis Could Spill Over Into Southeast Asia |
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August 11, 2022
The widespread condemnation of Beijing’s belligerent response to Pelosi’s trip from the U.S., Japan, Australia, and G7 nations, along with calls for all sides to exercise restraint from South Korea and the European Union, could theoretically encourage member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to foster closer ties with Taiwan. This could take place through deeper cooperation with Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy, the flagship foreign policy initiative of the Tsai Ing-wen administration, or the purchase of more Taiwanese products to fill the hole created by the recent import ban imposed by China in response to Pelosi’s visit.
For this scenario to eventuate, however, ASEAN would need a strong determination and long-term perspective that is presently far from apparent. In its recent statement on cross-Strait tensions, ASEAN made no mention of Taiwan, China, and the U.S.
ASEAN’s official stance reflected the bloc’s desire to maintain a balancing posture amid the simmering tensions between Washington and Beijing, while seeking to uphold its status and centrality by offering to play a facilitating role. But ASEAN’s ability to maintain this balance will continue to be put to the test.
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The Star
Taiwan Expo in Malaysia Returns on Hybrid Mode |
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August 10, 2022
After two years, Taiwan Expo in Malaysia returned as a hybrid exhibition at Sunway Velocity Mall in Kuala Lumpur.
The sixth edition was organised by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (Taitra) along with the Bureau of Foreign Trade.
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia representative Anne Hung said Malaysia-Taiwan trade had remained strong despite the Covid-19 pandemic because of a cordial relationship built over the decades.
“Last year, the bilateral trade volume increased by 26% to reach US$27.7bil (RM123.4bil). We are expecting to achieve more than 1,000 one-on-one business matching sessions through Taiwan Expo, as outlined under the New Southbound Policy,” she said.
Taiwan Expo is centred around six main themes, namely Industry 4.0 and Green Economy, Smart Medical, Smart Agriculture, Halal, Taiwan Lifestyles as well as Talent, Tourism and Financial Services, to align with the roadmap under the 12th Malaysian Plan.
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Focus Taiwan
Taitung University Launches Doctoral Program on Austronesian Studies |
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August 6, 2022
Taiwan's National Taitung University (NTTU) became the first higher education institution in the country to offer a doctoral program in Austronesian culture when it launched the program earlier this month.
For the program's first year, the institute has recruited three Taiwanese and one international students, NTTU Center of Austronesian Culture media contact Chen Ying-ju said, adding that the classes are taught in English.
Taitung County, with seven Indigenous peoples of Austronesian descent -- Amis, Paiwan, Bunun, Rukai, Pinuyumayan (also known as the Puyuma), Yami (also known as the Tao), and Kavalan -- is the most diverse region in Taiwan in terms of Austronesian culture, offering students a chance to apply their research to real-world scenarios and engage in intimate observations of how indigenous groups grapple with the challenges of modern times, Chen said.
The doctoral program will place a special emphasis on recruiting students from the 18 countries targeted by the government's New Southbound Policy (NSP), thereby bolstering the NTTU's exchanges with those countries, further internationalizing the school and boosting its influence in the international community, Chen said.
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Bloomberg
ASEAN Envoys Warn Against Miscalculation, Conflict in Taiwan |
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August 4, 2022
Top Southeast Asian diplomats urged “maximum restraint” in the Taiwan Strait, signaling growing regional concern about a potential conflict after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.
The joint statement from foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting on August 4 in Cambodia expressed concern that developments “could destabilize the region and eventually could lead to miscalculation, serious confrontation, open conflicts and unpredictable consequences among major powers.” The statement was released as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his ASEAN counterparts in Phnom Penh.
The statement didn’t name China, Taiwan or the US or otherwise specific who should show restraint. The ministers called on those involved to refrain from provocative actions and said the regional bloc stood ready to play a constructive role in mediating dialogue between all parties.
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Taipei Times
Japan Group to Aid Taipei’s CPTPP Bid |
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August 1, 2022
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA) is prioritizing helping Taiwan gain entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Japanese Representative to Taiwan Hiroyasu Izumi said on July 31.
Joining the trade agreement would be important to “maintaining the status quo [in the Taiwan Strait] and ensuring Taiwan’s survival,” association head Izumi said at a forum organized by the Lee Teng-hui Foundation in Taipei to discuss Taiwan-Japan relations.
Taiwan has made strides in promoting trade with Southeast Asian countries through the New Southbound Policy, but it should also be given membership in international organizations such as the CPTPP and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, he said.
President Tsai Ing-wen also spoke at the forum, emphasizing cooperation with Japan and laying out three goals for her administration: to strengthen substantive economic and trade exchanges, continue to deepen educational and cultural exchanges, and engage in normalized regional security cooperation.
Read more
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Nikkei Asia
Asian Financial Crisis Lessons Offer Recovery Path for Sri Lanka
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August 2
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Ranil Wickremesinghe, who rescued Sri Lanka's economy from recession as prime minister in 2002, is back, now as executive president. This time around, his challenge is far greater.
Wickremesinghe has taken office with supplies of fuel and electricity scarce due to the country's lack of foreign exchange and with inflation raging at 75%. His private residence was attacked and burned last month when he was prime minister, and now that he is president, a section of the protesters are demanding his resignation. On top of the worst domestic situation since Sri Lanka attained independence in 1948, the government is seeking to escape bankruptcy at a time when the global economic environment is souring.
Government officials should dig further into how East Asian nations were able to recover so quickly from their 1997-1998 financial crisis. One study by Lee Jong-wha and Park Young-chul, both of Korea University, showed that the hardest-hit nations managed to return to precrisis economic output levels in just two to three years, with recovery quicker for those getting IMF help.
"We find that the quick recoveries in East Asia have been largely driven by the accommodating macroeconomic policies, favorable external environments, and more export-oriented structure," Lee and Park wrote.
Read more
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The Diplomat
ASEAN Can No Longer Remain Neutral on Myanmar
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August 1, 2022
Eighteen months on from the military coup, it is time for the bloc to decide which side of history it wants to be on.
As ASEAN’s foreign ministers meet in Cambodia in the first week of August, the recent executions of four political prisoners in Myanmar by the illegal military junta should serve as yet another wake-up call for the group to change course in its approach to the deepening crisis in the country. The executions are acts of judicial barbarism committed by a military that has shown no qualms about committing any and every crime against the Myanmar population in order to cement its hold on power.
In this context, there is no room for inaction or neutrality between the generals and the widespread popular movement opposing their rule, and all ASEAN member states should act accordingly.
As ASEAN chair this year, Cambodia has clearly not been up to the task of dealing with the crisis in Myanmar. Neither is ASEAN itself nor the global community above criticism. They have acted with a timidity and absence of leadership that have contributed to the Myanmar generals’ sense of impunity.
ASEAN can, and should, do more.
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The Diplomat
Southeast Asia’s Sinking Megacities
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August 1, 2022
The coastal cities of Bangkok, Jakarta, and Ho Chi Minh City battle a common existential threat.
Water has always been the driving force in the development of these cities. Built on the foundation of vital waterways by a combination of rain, rivers, and the sea, the Chao Phraya Delta (Bangkok), Mekong Delta (Ho Chi Minh City), and Ciliwung Delta (Jakarta) are at great future risk for permanent, massive land losses in the next few decades.
These Asian cities are water-stressed in two ways: They fight the encroaching sea and struggle to provide sufficient potable water to their booming populations. During a storm, water is a multi-vector threat for flood-prone deltas: It overflows from connected rivers, heavy rainfall, and from the sea. The aftermath is devastating as countless lives and homes are lost; the economic toll is enormous and long-lasting. After severe flooding events, some are temporarily displaced and others are permanently pushed out.
Like many of Asia’s powerhouses built at the sea’s edge, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Jakarta continue to face a mutually risky future: They are sinking while they continue to rapidly urbanize and grow.
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