New Southbound Policy

The New Southbound Policy (Chinese: 新南向政策) 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.[1][2][3]

James C. F. Huang, first director of the New Southbound Policy Office.

James C. F. Huang was appointed the first Director of the New Southbound Policy Office.[4]

History

The policy was created to make Taiwan less dependent on Mainland China and to improve Taiwan's cooperation with other countries.[5] The policy was officially launched on 5 September 2016.[1]

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.[6]

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,[7] who all have the strategies for Indo-Pacific region, which is Free and Open Indo Pacific, FOIP.[8]

New Southbound Policy and United States' Free and Open Indo Pacific (FOIP) 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.[9][10]

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.[11]

Profiles of cooperating countries
Country2018 Ease of doing business(190 Countries) rank orderCurrencyTime ZoneTaiwanese Business AssociationVisa Entry Program to Taiwan[12][13]
Thailand26Baht (฿)ICT utc_offset +07:00http://ttba.or.th/14 days Visa-free from 1 Aug 2018 through 31 July 2019
Indonesia72Indonesian rupiah (Rp)various utc_offset +07:00 - utc_offset +09:00online visa application
Philippines113Peso (₱)PST utc_offset +08:0014 days Visa-free from 1 Aug 2018 through 31 July 2019
Malaysia24Ringgit (RM)MST utc_offset +08:00http://www.tiam.com.my/30 days Visa-free
Singapore2Singapore dollarSST utc_offset +08:0030 days Visa-free
Brunei56Brunei dollarBrunei Darussalam Time utc_offset +08:0014 days Visa-free from 1 Aug 2018 through 31 July 2019
Vietnam68đồng (₫)utc_offset +07:00http://ctcvn.vn/online visa application
Myanmar171Kyat (K), Baht (฿)MMT utc_offset +06:30online visa application
Cambodia135Riel, US dollars, Baht (฿)KRAT/ICT utc_offset +07:00online visa application
Laos141Kip (₭), Baht (฿)ICT utc_offset +07:00online visa application
India100Indian rupee (₹)IST utc_offset +05:30http://www.taiwan-india.org.tw/zh/home.phponline visa application
Pakistan122Pakistani RupeePST utc_offset +05:00general Visa
Nepal105Nepalese rupeeNepal Standard Time +05:45apply Visa from Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India
Bangladesh177Taka (৳)BST utc_offset +06:00general Visa
Sri Lanka111Sri Lankan rupeeSLST utc_offset 05:30apply Visa from Taipei Economic and Cultural Center
Bhutan75Ngultrum (BTN) and Indian rupee (INR)BTT utc_offset +06:00apply Visa from Taipei Economic and Cultural Center
Australia14Australian dollarVarious There are minor variations from three basic time zones; see Time in Australia. utc_offset +08:00 ~ utc_offset +10:3090 days Visa-free till 31 December 2018
New Zealand1New Zealand dollar ($)NZST The Chatham Islands have a separate time zone, 45 minutes ahead of the rest of New Zealand. utc_offset +12:00https://tba.org.nz/90 days Visa-free

Taiwan ranks 15th in 2018 Ease of doing business index out of 190 countries.

Cooperation Aspects

The New Southbound Policy is for Taiwan to cooperate with 18 countries in the following aspects:[14]

  • Trade
  • Technology
  • Agriculture
  • Medicine
  • Education
  • Tourism

Implementation measures

Promote economic collaboration

Conduct talent exchange
Universities in TaiwanResponsible Countries
National Sun Yat-sen UniversityPhilippine[17]
National Taiwan UniversityMalaysia[18]
Asia University (Taiwan)Indonesia[19]
Chung Hua University TaiwanPhilippines (Adamson University)[20]

Share resources
  • Expanding scholarships to students from ASEAN countries up to 60,000 students by 2019.[21]

Visas for the cooperation countries

Budget

The operational budget for the policy implementation is taken from the Presidential Office budget.[23]

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See also

References
  1. Tai, Ya-chen; Low, Y.F. (5 September 2016). "Cabinet launches plan to promote 'New Southbound Policy'". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  2. "'New Southbound Policy' promotion plan launched". Ministry of the Interior Republic of China (Taiwan). 5 September 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  3. Sung, Wen-lung (1 November 2016). "Two-pronged 'southbound' strategy". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  4. "Warning signals for the 'New Southbound Policy': The China Post". The Straits Times. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  5. Lu, Yi-hsuan; Chung, Jake (1 November 2016). "Task force to help promote the 'new southbound policy'". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  6. "New Southbound Policy Portal". Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  7. "Remarks by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the occasion of accepting Hudson Institute's 2013 Herman Kahn Award". Cabinet Public Relations Office, Cabinet Secretariat of Japan. 25 September 2013. It is my belief that Japan and the U.S. together should lead the Indo-Pacific Century to make it one that cherishes freedom, democracy, human rights, and rules-based order, with the TPP as its backbone.
  8. "Foreign ministry opens Indo-Pacific Affairs Section". RTI (Radio Taiwan International). 11 May 2018.
  9. Chen-Sheng Hong and Logan Pauley (28 June 2018). "Taiwan's New Southbound Policy Meets the US Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy". THE DIPLOMAT.
  10. Hseik-wen Soong (1 June 2018). "US Strategy of "A Free and Open Indo-Pacific": A Perspective of Taiwan". The Prospect Foundation.
  11. Press Correspondents Room (2 April 2018). "Briefing on The Indo-Pacific Strategy". U.S. Department of State.
  12. "我與新南向18國相互簽證待遇" (in Chinese). 領事事務局. 1 November 2017.
  13. "MOFA announces one-year extension of 14-day visa-free entry program for Brunei, Philippine, and Thai nationals - New Southbound Policy Portal". The Ministry of Foreign Affair. 12 July 2018.
  14. Tan-sun Chen (1 June 2018). "The New Southbound Policy and Taiwan's Role in Facilitating Grassroots Connections in the Indo-Pacific Region". The Prospect Foundation.
  15. "﹝重要資訊﹞107年臺灣教育中心設立及聯繫資訊一覽表" (in Chinese). 25 January 2018.
  16. "新南向國家境外生提供留學臺灣心得報告，獲獎名單 AWARD NOTIFICATION" (in Chinese). 15 June 2018.
  17. "Taiwan Education Center in Philippine". Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  18. "Taiwan Education Center, Malaysia" (in Chinese). Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  19. "亞大推新南向 獲教部補助居冠" (in Chinese). 聯合新聞網. 9 June 2017.
  20. "一起新南向！中華大學與亞當森大學簽屬雙聯學位合作" (in Chinese). 中央通訊社. 18 June 2018.
  21. "New Southbound Policy centers on people: Tsai". Taiwan Today. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  22. Everington, Keoni (28 June 2018). "Taiwan extends visa-free entry to Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei". Taiwan News.
  23. Liu, Claudia; Chang, S.C. (15 June 2016). "New Southbound Policy Office to operate on Presidential Office budget". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
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