Taiwan youth agricultural ambassadors will visit Indonesia and the Philippines before the end of the year to foster closer ties to those nations under the New Southbound Policy, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Through the Young Agricultural Ambassadors New Southbound Policy Exchange Program, two contingents, each composed of 12 delegates specializing in agricultural fields, are scheduled to meet with local officials, academics and industry experts to substantively promote bilateral partnerships with Indonesia and the Philippines.
Speaking during the program’s flag presentation ceremony Oct. 18 at the MOFA headquarters in Taipei City, Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang said that Taiwan has established collaborative projects with Indonesia and the Philippines, mentioning such endeavors as the Modern Agricultural Demo Farm in Karawang and the Taiwan-Philippines Button Mushroom Demonstration Farm in Baguio City.
Tien believes the exchange program will enable Taiwan’s agricultural talents to simultaneously share their knowledge with others and discover innovative methods that will energize their work when they return home. Deputy Agriculture Minister Chen Tian-shou, co-host of the ceremony, also voiced his hopes that the delegation members would give their best efforts in this exercise to connect the country with its regional neighbors.
The Young Agricultural Ambassadors New Southbound Policy Exchange Program is co-organized by MOFA and MOA and has sent a total of 90 representatives to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines since its launch in 2017. Due to the pandemic, the program was suspended from 2020 to 2022.
Source : October 19, 2023 Taiwan Today
