New Southbound Policy
The New Southbound Policy is the initiative of the Government of Taiwan under President Tsai Ing-wen to enhance cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and 18 countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Australasia.
James C. F. Huang was appointed the first Director of the New Southbound Policy Office.
History
The policy was created to make Taiwan less dependent on Mainland China and to improve Taiwan's cooperation with other countries. The policy was officially launched on 5 September 2016.Cooperation Countries
The 18 countries New Southbound Policy intend to cooperate with are: Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Australia and New Zealand.Connection to Free and Open Indo Pacific (FOIP) strategy
Foreign Minister of Taiwan, Joseph Wu, officially opens the new Indo-Pacific section under the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. The Indo-Pacific section is to forge more cooperative ties with United States, Australia, and Japan, who all have the strategies for Indo-Pacific region, which is Free and Open Indo Pacific, FOIP.New Southbound Policy and United States' Free and Open Indo Pacific strategy may be convergent since both strategies focus on ASEAN and South Asia. Besides the developing relationships between Taiwan and Washington, there are three convergences for Taiwan and Washington. First, while Washington maintains the FOIP in ASEAN and South Asia, Taiwan can benefit from the freedom and openness in ASEAN and South Asia and focus on developing relationships with the 18 countries in NSP. Second, while Taiwan strengthen the relationships with 18 countries in NSP, Taiwan is more free from the China's unifying pressure. Third, a democratic and free Taiwan is more autonomous and can develop more political and economic relationships with countries in ASEAN and South Asia and also safeguard the United States' interest in Indo Pacific area at the same time.
Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy connection to New Southbound Policy
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affiars, Alex N. Wong briefs about the strategies on Indo-Pacific Strategy and mentioned the New Southbound Policy of Taiwan would help seek political, economic and security ties in this region, particularly with the ASEAN countries and India is also strengthening connections to the ASEAN countries, too. These multiple nations' efforts to connect to each other in Indo-Pacific area would bring the fabric of stability and prosperity, which is what the United States support and devoted to bring a rules-based free and open order in Indo-Pacific region.In order to help Taiwan free from outside coercion, the United States help Taiwan to defend its own on the basis of Taiwan Relation Act and the three joint communiques and "one China" policy. Taiwan can also preserve sovereignty by strengthening connection to ASEAN and APEC countries, which is New Southbound Policy. United States need to invest in ASEAN and APEC countries, so that Indo-Pacific countries can be free from outside coercion.
Profiles of cooperating countries
Cooperation Aspects
The New Southbound Policy is for Taiwan to cooperate with 18 countries in the following aspects:- Trade
- Technology
- Agriculture
- Medicine
- Education
- Tourism
Implementation measures
Promote economic collaboration
- Trade offices will be set up by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand for Taiwanese companies to integrate with the local resources.
- Service counters will be set up in Taiwan for business and trade promotions to countries covered by the policy.
Conduct talent exchange
- The Taiwan Education Center, Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan and universities in Taiwan help execute higher education talents exchange programs, including teaching Taiwanese Mandarin in cooperated countries locally and accept students from cooperated countries to apply for scholarships to study in Taiwan.
| Universities in Taiwan | Responsible Countries |
| National Sun Yat-sen University | Philippine |
| National Taiwan University | Malaysia |
| Asia University | Indonesia |
| Chung Hua University Taiwan | Philippines |
Share resources
- Expanding scholarships to students from ASEAN countries up to 60,000 students by 2019.
Forge regional links
Visas for the cooperation countries
- Taiwan extends visa-free entry for Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei for one year to 31 July 2019.
Budget