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TAEF BRIEF
September 29th, 2023
No. 120 |
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CONTENT
-TAEF Updates
-TAEF Media Gallery
-TAEF Commentaries
-New Southbound Policy News
-Regional Headlines |
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Coming Up Next: 2023 Yushan Forum |
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September 29, 2023
October 11-12, 2023
The 2023 Yushan Forum will be held on October 11th and 12th. The Yushan Forum, initiated by Taiwan in 2017, serves as a platform for fostering cooperation and dialogue in the Asian region. Its primary goal is to facilitate the exchange of ideas, technologies, talent, and social initiatives among Asian nations while deepening Taiwan's partnerships with like-minded countries. This forum draws government officials, industry leaders, innovators, thinkers, and young talents from across Asia. The forum's focus is on regional stability and prosperity, with a particular emphasis on Taiwan's New Southbound Policy (NSP), a core component of its Indo-Pacific strategy since President Tsai Ing-wen launched it in 2016. The NSP's accomplishments in the public, private, and civil society sectors will be showcased at the event.
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2023 Yushan Forum｜Start a New Blueprint for Asian Development
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This year's Yushan Forum adopts the theme "Start a New Blueprint for Asian Development" in response to the World Health Organization's declaration of the end of the global COVID-19 emergency on May 5th. This significant shift has prompted Asian leaders to rethink their future strategies.
The 2023 Yushan Forum aims to bring together policymakers and prominent leaders not only from Taiwan but also from NSP partner countries, like-minded nations, and Indo-Pacific region countries. The goal is to engage in discussions and develop pragmatic blueprints for fostering inclusive and resilient growth in the post-pandemic Asian landscape. This forum becomes a crucial platform for charting the course of Asian development in a rapidly changing world.
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Firstpost
The Strategic Implications of the 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit: Emergence of the Indo-Pacific Anti-China Front?
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September 28, 2023
Although the leader's statement did not directly criticize China's coercion, it remained cautious between the lines about the risks related to China and expect this giant would abide by international norms.
- Dr. Alan Hao Yang, Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies, National Chengchi University; Executive Director, Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation
The complex geopolitical landscape in the Asia-Pacific region is marked by escalating tensions between the United States and China, exacerbated by conflicts spanning political, economic, technological, and cultural domains. The Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2022, has further contributed to regional instability, with Japan imposing sanctions and taking a firm stance against Russia. The involvement of the United Kingdom and the European Union has added to the geopolitical complexity. Central to this rivalry is the concept of a "rule-based order," with the U.S. positioning itself as the rule-maker and China challenging existing rules.
Within this context, APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) serves as a critical platform for member nations to engage in discussions, despite the deepening divide between democratic and authoritarian regimes. While political issues are increasingly on the agenda, APEC remains committed to fostering connectivity and inclusivity in the Asia-Pacific region, offering a glimmer of hope amid the political conflicts.
Yang scrutinizes the strategic implications of the recently held G7 summit in Hiroshima. According to Yang, compared with the concerns and directions raised by the G7 foreign ministers meeting in April, the G7 summit in July appeared to be more united and focused on specific issues and concrete steps on building partnerships to achieve de-risking, (rather than de-coupling).
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NEW SOUTHBOUND POLICY NEWS |
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Taipei Times
Australian lawmakers arrive for four-day visit
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September 25, 2023
A delegation of six Australian lawmakers are visiting Taiwan until Thursday to discuss issues of bilateral importance, including regional geopolitics, trade, shared values and cybersecurity.
The group led by Australian parliamentarians Josh Wilson and Paul Fletcher arrived on Monday for the four-day visit. They are to meet with “high-level officials” while in Taipei, as well as attend a dinner banquet hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu.
Taiwan and Australia are like-minded partners that share the values of democracy, freedom and human rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Relations between the two have continued their steady development over the past few years. This visit by parliamentarians from across parties is a practical demonstration of support for Taiwan and of a desire to jointly maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, extending its “sincere welcome and thanks” to the delegation.
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Taiwan News
Taiwan presidential official visited Thailand
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September 16, 2023
Presidential Secretary-General Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) recently visited Thailand in the company of a trade delegation.
While Taiwan has listed Thailand as one of the targets for its New Southbound Policy, interaction between political leaders of the two countries are rare.
Lin traveled to Thailand at the invitation of National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫). The minister led a 50-member delegation with representatives of government departments and 19 businesses, arriving in Bangkok on Sept. 9.
During the visit, Kung participated in a forum with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, and introduced Taiwan’s achievements in digital knowhow, smart cities and smart health. The delegation also visited a hospital in Thonburi using smart health technology supplied by Chunghwa Telecom, and industrial zones in the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor along the coast southeast of Bangkok.
The Board of Investment (BoI) also welcomed the delegation from Taiwan to discuss the Southeast Asian nation’s investment promotion policies.
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Taiwan News
Taiwan’s Taoyuan adds Vietnamese, Indonesian services to 1999 hotline
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September 23, 2023
Taoyuan City Government said Saturday (Sept. 23) that Vietnamese and Indonesian services are now available for its 1999 citizen hotline.
Foreign workers and residents can fall prey to scammers as language barriers make accessing information difficult. With the new services, people from the two Southeast Asian countries can seek help via phone when the need arises.
1999 citizen hotline provides answers to a wide array of questions regarding city affairs. Vietnamese and Indonesians can inquire about topics such as welfare, education, employment, healthcare, legal aid, naturalization, recreational activities, and more. The service is free of charge for the first 10 minutes after a call is initiated, by cellphone or landline.
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The Edge Malaysia
Malaysia’s Administration for Digital Industries accompanied Taiwanese digital tech companies to host Taiwan Digital Day in KL
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September 26, 2023
Malaysia’s Administration for Digital Industries, Ministry of Digital Affairs, led a delegation of 8 Taiwanese digital technology companies to Malaysia from September 18 to 21, in an effort to assist Taiwanese digital service solution providers in expanding into new markets. During this period, they organized the Taiwan Digital Day event in conjunction with Malaysia's Smart Nation Expo.
The Smart Nation Expo in Malaysia stands as the country's largest event focused on 5G, AI, and IoT technologies, highlighting future smart city planning across various sectors such as architecture, transportation, tourism, education, manufacturing, energy, finance, and healthcare.
To facilitate deeper collaborations between Taiwanese and Malaysian businesses, the Taiwan Digital Day engaged Taiwanese businesses, such as FETC International Co., Everbiz Industrial, AcBel Polytech Inc., in matchmaking sessions with Malaysian counterparts who specialize in areas such as system integration, smart retail, smart property, and smart commerce.
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Reuters
Vietnam's VinFast to deliver EVs to Europe this year as EU probes China rivals
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September 21, 2023
Vietnamese EV maker VinFast plans to ship its first EVs to Europe this year after receiving regulatory approval, its CEO told Reuters on Thursday, as the European Union considers imposing tariffs on its Chinese rivals.
Under the plan, about 3,000 of its VF8 crossovers would be delivered to France, Germany and the Netherlands in the fourth quarter of this year from VinFast's factory in northern Vietnam.
The Nasdaq-listed company's plan to expand into Europe would represent a four-fold increase from a previous unmet target of delivering 700 cars by last July, and comes as the EU probe into Chinese EV makers creates a possible gap in the market. If fulfilled, Europe could become VinFast's biggest overseas market this year.
"We expect to deliver the first VF8 models to French, German and Dutch customers in the fourth quarter of this year," Le Thi Thu Thuy, VinFast's chief executive, said, adding the company's other models VF6, VF7, and VF9 would be launched in the European market next year. The VF8 SUV has already been approved by a European regulator as compliant with EU standards, and can be sold within the 27-country bloc, Thuy said.
The company is also completing the procedures to obtain the voluntary Euro NCAP safety rating, she added.
Read more
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Nekkei Asia
Japan, Malaysia to discuss carbon storage with aim of 2028 start
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September 25
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Japan will hold talks with Malaysia on storing Japanese power plant and industrial emissions of carbon dioxide in the Southeast Asian nation, with an aim of sending the first shipment in 2028, Nikkei has learned.
Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan's minister for economy, trade and industry, is expected to meet with senior executives from Malaysia's state-run energy group Petronas during a series of Japanese-hosted conferences on decarbonization starting Monday.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade an Industry and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on specific steps toward the carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects with Petronas.
Under the proposed projects, carbon dioxide emitted in Japan would be liquefied and transported by ship for storage at sites in Malaysia including offshore natural gas fields. Fuels with low environmental impact, such as hydrogen or ammonia, would be used to power the vessels.
If successful, the joint initiative would see the first international carbon dioxide shipment in Asia. Tokyo hopes the venture may serve as a model for setting rules on carbon dioxide transportation the region.
Read more
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CNN
India agrees to reserve a third of parliament seats for women. But the change could still take years
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September 21, 2023
India’s parliament passed a landmark bill Thursday that will reserve a third of its seats in the lower house and state assemblies for women, in a major win for rights groups that have for decades campaigned for better gender representation in politics.
The bill received cross-party support and was celebrated by politicians across India’s often fractious political spectrum but some expressed reservations that it could still take years for the quota to be implemented.
Six attempts to pass the bill, first introduced in 1996, have failed, at times due to strong disapproval from the country’s overwhelmingly male lawmakers.
In India, the world’s largest democracy of 1.4 billion people, women make up nearly half of the country’s 950 million registered voters but only 15% of lawmakers in parliament and 10% in state assemblies.
Despite being voted through, the move will not apply to next year’s general election. The implementation of the quota could take years as it depends on the redrawing of electoral constituencies, which will only happen after the completion of India’s once-in-a-decade census.
Nonetheless, the bill’s passage in parliament will be seen as a further boost to Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of national elections next year.
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