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TAEF BRIEF
May 12th, 2023
No. 110 |
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CONTENT
-TAEF Updates
-TAEF Media Gallery
-TAEF Commentaries
-New Southbound Policy News
-Regional Headlines |
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2023 SEASAT Youth Camp: Application Open Now! |
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May 8, 2023
The Southeast Asia-South Asia-Taiwan (SEASAT) Youth Camp is an annual flagship event organized by the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF) since its establishment. Running from July 26 to July 28 2023, the goal of this year's SEASAT Youth Camp is to enrich the understanding of 40 emerging leaders aged 18 to 24, of their Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Taiwanese neighbors with the hopes of promoting deeper cross-cultural connection and collaboration among Asian youth. With the theme of Bridging Boundaries: Harnessing Collaboration, Inclusion, and Innovation for Next Leadership, in this 3-day camp, participants will be exposed to contemporary issues affecting youth in the region, site visits, seminars, workshops, and the opportunity to converse with established leaders in Taiwan and abroad. The Camp is specifically designed to help its participants grow as leaders who "think and do" for an inclusive and resilient future.
You can learn more and find the application form here.
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2023 Asia Disaster Prevention Forum: Building Disaster Resilience Through Civil Preparedness Under Uncertainty |
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April 26, 2023
TAEF and the Taiwan Association of Disaster Prevention Industry (TADPI) jointly organized the "2023 Asia Disaster Prevention Forum" with the assistance of Frankfurt Exhibition Limited and Watchout Co. This year's theme was "Building Disaster Resilience through Civil Preparedness under Uncertainty." Some of the honored guests included the Deputy Governor of Bangkok, Thailand, Tavida Kamolvej, and an honorary professor from the University of Tokyo, Japan, Honorary Professor Naoshi Hirata. Facing the rapidly changing international situation, the climate crisis, and potential disaster risks, attendees and experts agreed that Taiwan has an indispensable role in reducing vulnerability and enhancing resilience through adaptive action.
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2022 Yushan Forum | Interview: Minister of Education |
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Organized by TAEF, the annual Yushan Forum: Asian Dialogue for Innovation and Progress provides a prominent platform for facilitating regional dialogues and showcasing both governmental and non-governmental cooperation between Taiwan and its neighboring partner countries. By doing so, the Yushan Forum helps foster stronger social connectivity for the region's youth by encouraging innovation, progressive ideas, and diverse regional partnerships.
For the 2022 Yushan Forum, TAEF was fortunate to have the opportunity to interview the Minister of Education, Mr. Pan Wen-Chung. The Minister shared with us the key achievements of the New Southbound Policy Talent Development Program including the development of online courses to promote exchanges with NSP countries, as well as assistance for international students entering Taiwan. The MOE has subsidized universities to attract more overseas Chinese and international students, as well as relaxed foreign professionals' permanent residency applications.
TAEF is excited to share with you the full interview with the Minister of Education.
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TRT World Now
War in Ukraine, China Relations on Agenda of G7 Summit
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April 17, 2023
-Dr. Sana Hashmi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation
In an interview with TRT World Now, Sana Hashmi, a postdoctoral fellow at TAEF, commented on the recent controversial remarks of French President Emmanuel Macron on China-Taiwan relations. She argued that it revealed a fault line in the West's views on China and that the Ukraine war is not the only crisis the West needs to pay attention to. She predicts that the G7 will try to re-orient towards the Indo-Pacific, especially given that this year's G7 leader is Japan and that any conflict in the Taiwan Strait would have a negative effect on Japan. She argues that one of the major reasons the developed countries need to have a united front is how divided the world is not just on China but also on the Ukraine war.
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NEW SOUTHBOUND POLICY NEWS |
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Taiwan News
Taiwan's I-Mei Foods Concludes Recruitment Fair in Manila
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April 30, 2023
Taiwan's I-Mei Foods recently held a recruitment fair at the Department of Migrant Workers in Manila, encouraged by the Philippine government as a major employer of Overseas Filipino Workers. Recruitment fairs were also held in the City of San Fernando and Davao City. I-Mei announced it would also hold events in rural areas in the future. Taiwan's reputation as a safe and profitable place to work drew in prospective workers from around the country.
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East Mojo
Taiwan is Reinventing how Diplomacy Works
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April 30, 2023
Taiwan's current diplomatic strategy, given the constraints imposed by China, could be defined as smart diplomacy. Rather than emphasizing formal relationships, Taiwan has in the past decades emphasized business-to-business and people-to-people connections as a cornerstone of its foreign policy. President Tsai's New Southbound Policy has allowed Taiwan to build mutually-beneficial relationships with countries such as India and others in South and Southeast Asia.
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Nikkei Asia
Apple's Taiwan Suppliers Lead Renewed Pivot from China
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April 29, 2023
Taiwan's contract manufacturers are shifting away from China to production bases like Vietnam and India. Quanta Computer, which manufactures Apple's MacBooks, is building its first plants in Vietnam. Assemblers of iPhones such as Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron are expanding its presence in Vietnam. Foxconn is also planning on building more factories in India. Taiwanese FDI in Vietnam has grown rapidly as China has faced unpredictable COVID lockdowns and wages have risen.
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Nikkei Asia
Taiwan's Delta Electronics Logs First Profit in EV Segment
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April 28, 2023
Delta Electronics has reported its first-ever quarterly profit in its electronic vehicles segment, showing the success of the world's leader in power solutions provision. Given the likely continued growth of the EV sector, Delta plans to expand its manufacturing into countries around the globe. It is planning new factories in Texas, Hungary, Thailand, Taiwan, China, and India. The US, Hungary, and Thailand plants are expected to manufacture electronic vehicle components.
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Cambodia's Hun Sen Plans Power Succession to Son, Allies' Children
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May 2, 2023
Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia is thought to be preparing for his eldest son, Hun Manet, to succeed him after nearly 40 years in power. Manet announced he would run as a parliamentary candidate in this summer's elections which would make him eligible to become prime minister. The succession plans appear to have been fast-tracked from 2028 to this year or next year.
In order to ensure a smooth transition, Hun Sen has been putting children of the Cambodian People's Party elites in powerful positions, weakening the old guard while trying to gain their favor. The armed forces appear to be especially important for Hun Manet, who was recently made a four-star general, to solidify his power. Hun Sen has also placed repentant critics in high-ranking jobs.
However, Hun Sen maintains his iron fist over Cambodia, with opposition groups beaten and leaders imprisoned. The Cambodian People's Party hopes with Hun Manet they can have a smooth succession and maintain its supremacy.
Read more
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The Diplomat
Australia, AUKUS and Southeast Asia
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May 1
, 2023
The new security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US known as AUKUS is aimed at containing China's aggression in the Indo-Pacific. This strategy is markedly different from Southeast Asian states' response, as they have benefited economically from China's growth. The differing threat perceptions initially drew criticism from some ASEAN states as destabilizing.
More recent announcements have drawn a more muted reaction, indicating ASEAN states' acceptance of AUKUS's existence. However, some analysts want Australia to put greater emphasis on its potential for cooperation with Southeast Asian states.
Areas such as cybersecurity and undersea capabilities are ripe for security cooperation. In order to engage closer with Southeast Asia, Australia can work with the US to convince ASEAN that AUKUS will improve rather than degrade security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Read more
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Foreign Policy
Population Control is Back in India
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April 28, 2023
India, the country with the largest population in the world, is in the midst of a new debate about whether the population will help or hurt India's development, as well as whether it should adopt centralized population control measures.
Some argue that India's working-age population of 500 million can fuel India's manufacturing push or move abroad and fund India's development through remittances. However, others are concerned about India's reliance on blue-collar work and the lack of education and employment opportunities in the country.
In reality, recent surveys show India's fertility rate has fallen drastically to 2.0. As such, experts generally agree that population controls are not needed and have historically been ineffective. In addition, there is suspicion about any BJP-led efforts for population control given its tensions with the Muslim community. More important than population control measures is skills training and job growth for the growing Indian population.
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