Taiwan-Brunei relations are gradually moving forward amid challenges, especially in the areas of agriculture, tourism, trade, education and people-to-people exchanges, Taiwan Representative to Brunei Andrew Lee (李憲章) said on Friday.
Lee, who assumed his post in August last year, spoke about the development of bilateral relations in a telephone interview with the Central News Agency.
People-to-people connections between Taiwan and Brunei are deep, Lee said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
For example, 10.3 percent, or about 47,000, of Brunei’s population of 460,000 people have ethnic Chinese ancestry. Among them, 80 percent can be traced to Taiwan’s outlying Kinmen Island, he said.
In the 1960s, when Southeast Asia was wary of communist infiltration, many ethnic Chinese in Brunei chose to study the Chinese language in Taiwan rather than in China, he said.
After returning, those students formed the Taiwan Graduates Association of Brunei. Today, the association, together with the Taiwan Business Association in Brunei Darussalam, continue to work to enhance Taiwan-Brunei relations, Lee said.
In terms of economic links, Brunei’s small market and its heavy reliance on natural gas and oil exports has limited trade with Taiwan. Last year, Taiwan-Brunei bilateral trade was US$170 million, making Brunei Taiwan’s 75th-largest trading partner.
In an effort to improve this situation, Lee has helped more than 30 Taiwanese companies participate in trade shows in Brunei for purposes of business matching.
He also invited a major fruit dealer in Brunei to visit Taiwan in November last year, which resulted in deals being signed with Taiwanese farmers.
In line with Brunei’s Vision 2035, which aims to boost economic diversification, Lee said that he sees prospects for agricultural cooperation.
“Taiwan is willing to introduce Agriculture 4.0, which incorporates new technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence and biodetection systems, to help Brunei achieve its goal of self-reliance in agricultural products,” Lee said.
Other experiences he said that Taiwan could share with Brunei include the development of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, which have created about 9 million employment opportunities in Taiwan, and the logistics industry, which could help boost Brunei’s retail industry.
Lee said that he hopes to introduce Taiwan’s vocational education system to Brunei, as well as to introduce Brunei to Taiwanese businesspeople as a springboard to other Halal food markets.
Due to the increased influence of China, the Bruneian government is cautious when engaging with Taiwan, he said.
“It is important to let the Bruneian government understand that Taiwan is here for friendship and cooperation,” Lee said.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
RSS