Government policies to turn Taiwan into a Mandarin-English bilingual nation by 2030 would be critical in developing much-needed talent for it to take a larger role in international affairs, experts said at a forum yesterday.
Government officials, experts and teachers discussed the government’s bilingual initiative and the difficulties in implementing language policies at a forum in Taipei hosted by the Professor Huang Kun-huei Education Foundation.
Taiwan External Trade Development Council Chairman James Huang (黃志芳) said that Taiwan’s efforts to take a more prominent role internationally would be aided by the government’s bilingualism policy.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Taiwan’s growing international status creates opportunities to participate in events that would require representatives who are fluent in English, and the government must have policies to develop such talent if it wishes to accomplish its 2030 bilingual goals, he said.
Shih Hsin University honorary professor Li Chen-ching (李振清) said Taiwan’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership is hindered by a lack of officials who have sufficient bilingual capabilities and experience in international negotiations.
The lack of talent would affect Taiwan’s chances to join the trade bloc, he said.
Citing the International Institute for Management Development’s ranking of world talent, released on Thursday, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) said the policy’s effects were already noticeable.
The Switzerland-based organization ranked Taiwan 16th, gaining four spots from last year, in a survey that compared the performance of 64 economies.
Pan said it was Taiwan’s best showing in the talent poll in 10 years, adding that Taiwan ranked third regionally, behind only Hong Kong and Singapore.
The government has spent about NT$10 billion (US$360.53 million) over the past four years to promote its bilingualism agenda, 90 percent of which has been spent on education, he said.
The government’s bilingual education program this year allotted funds to help 66 universities develop bilingual education capabilities, he said, calling it a great start to increasing the initiative at higher-education facilities.
The government approved NT$20 billion for an elementary-school digital education improvement program over four years, which aims to give children in rural areas equal opportunities to receive a balanced education, he added.
Foundation founder and chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) said the forum was intended to help the government, experts and teachers reach a consensus on the policy, its goals and function, and how it is to be implemented.
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