The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is to launch a monthly event featuring foreign nations in a bid to improve the nation’s international relations and image.
The initiative, called the “Global Corner,” would include permanent exhibitions, seminars, movie screenings and cultural events, the DPP’s head of international affairs division Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) said.
The DPP aims to expose its workers to the culture, history, economics and politics of foreign nations that are of importance to Taiwan, Lo said.
The event would introduce one foreign nation each month and host events prepared by the representative office of the nation chosen for that month, Lo said.
The DPP hopes the project would encourage party workers to actively participate in international exchanges, he added.
“We hope the project would cultivate closer relations with nations that have representative offices in Taiwan,” Lo said, adding that the party hopes to make the event permanent.
The DPP is not ruling out the possibility of opening the event to the public to help people understand the relations between Taiwan and foreign nations, Lo said, adding that such events should not be relegated to parties’ foreign affairs divisions.
The first gathering would feature the EU, Lo said, adding that the DPP wants to thank the European Economic and Trade Office for its assistance in arranging the event.
When asked whether the event would alleviate the difficulties faced by the nation when trying to join international organizations, Lo said that unfortunately international politics would remain politics, although the party would seek to remedy the situation through party-based diplomacy.
The DPP would voice the nation’s stance in the legislatures, political parties and media of nations friendly to Taiwan, Lo said.
The British Office Taipei, the French Office in Taipei and the German Institute in Taipei have expressed interest in the forum, Lo said, adding that should the representative offices agree, the DPP would consider broadcasting the events to allow public participation.
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