Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a vital role in Taiwan’s diplomatic efforts, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told the opening of the NGO Leaders’ Forum today.
This year’s forum hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began this morning focused around challenges posed by “a new era of digital intelligence” and integrated diplomacy between the public and private sectors.
The forum was attended by international NGO representatives, including AI for Good Foundation chief executive officer James Hodson.
Photo: Fang Wei-li, Taipei Times
In his opening address, Lin said that although Taiwan faces a series of challenges such as an ever-changing geopolitical climate and the reshuffling of global supply chains, it nevertheless continues to achieve miraculous successes and make its mark on the global stage.
He said that Taiwan’s contributions to the international community are to be achieved using the ministry’s strategy of “integrated diplomacy,” which Lin previously defined as encompassing “values-based diplomacy, alliance diplomacy and economic diplomacy.”
NGOs and international NGOs would play a vital role in this process, Lin added.
Integrated diplomacy is a completely new approach by the ministry to establish international production chains and value chains, and to strengthen alliances with like-minded democratic nations to ensure regional stability and shared prosperity, he said.
With the assistance of the ministry, many important NGOs that promote freedom, democracy and human rights have already established bases in Taiwan, Lin said, including Freedom House and the Japanese NGO Peace Winds.
This shows that the international community recognizes Taiwan’s value system and ability to play an important role as a hub for NGOs, he added.
Taiwan would continue to demonstrate its tenacity, innovation and solidarity, not only telling the world that “Taiwan can help,” but also leading with integrated diplomacy and utilizing science and technology to create new opportunities in the NGO sector, Lin added.
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