Tien, Chung-kwang
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
February 23, 2024
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Ladies and gentlemen:
Happy Lunar New Year and good afternoon!
It is a great pleasure to attend the first reception of the Taiwan Fellowship program in 2024—the Year of the Dragon. On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), I am delighted to extend my warm welcome to all of you who recently arrived in Taiwan. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to National Central Library Director General Wang Han-ching (王涵青) and her capable staff at the Center for Chinese Studies for organizing today’s event.
As many of you are new to the Taiwan Fellowship program, please allow me to spend a few minutes to introduce the program to you. We established the Taiwan Fellowship program in 2010. The program’s reputation has grown over the past 14 years, attracting outstanding people from abroad to conduct research in Taiwan. To date, over 1,400 scholars from around the world have been awarded the fellowship to examine issues concerning Taiwan, cross-strait relations, and the Indo-Pacific region. MOFA also organizes more than 10 events over the course of the year, including academic seminars, cultural tours, and other field trips to enable fellows to gain a better understanding of Taiwan and our government’s policies.
All the scholars and students conducting their research and receiving their undergraduate and graduate degrees in Taiwan serve as an important bridge between Taiwan and their home countries. Therefore, our overseas missions have helped establish around 88 Taiwan Alumni Association (TAA) branches worldwide to keep in touch with the alumni through diverse exchanges. To further strengthen such networks, last November, MOFA also launched the TAA Facebook page to better connect alumni worldwide and share updates on Taiwan. I sincerely encourage you to like the page and join TAA alumni activities.
Today’s reception aims to help you learn about Taiwan’s traditional culture and become more acquainted with each other, as well as with our staff members and the representatives of your home countries. During your time here, I highly encourage you to make friends, try some night market food, and explore scenic areas.
Tomorrow starts off the Lantern Festival, which symbolizes the arrival of spring and the end of the Lunar New Year holiday. Today, we have prepared traditional snacks, such as tang yuan, for you to celebrate this festive time.
In closing, I wish everyone great success in your research and the best of health in the Year of the Dragon. 祝大家龍年行大運、新年快樂!