Using US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as a pretext, China launched 11 ballistic missiles on August 4, 2022 into waters to the north, northeast, east and southwest of Taiwan, threatening Taiwan’s national security, escalating regional tensions, and affecting regular international traffic and trade.
After threatening Taiwan with military drills for consecutive days, on Aug. 10, China has published a white paper that repeats the same old pro-unification clichés with disregard for both international law and the realities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) strongly condemns the Chinese provocations with the intention of changing the status quo, peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
The Republic of China (which now is more commonly-known as Taiwan) has been in existence as a democratic republic incessantly since 1912 on the Chinese Mainland, although now based in Taiwan ever since 1949 when the PRC was established. The Chinese Communist Party has not ruled even for a single day over Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen or the Matsu Islands. China’s claim that Taiwan is part of the PRC is a blatant lie because the ROC (Taiwan) and the PRC are separate jurisdictions, with neither subordinate to the other.
According to Mr. Charles C. Li, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Myanmar (TECO Mynamar), Taiwan certainly has the right to maintain substantive relationships with other countries and to participate in and contribute to the international community.
He stated that China’s continued attempts to intimidate Taiwan will not defeat Taiwan: “Taiwan will continue to staunchly uphold its free and democratic way of life, and to continue to defend its sovereignty, its freedom, democracy, and prosperity. I believe the international community shares our commitment to maintaining the rules-based international order, and safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Myanmar began to operate in Yangon on March 28, 2016, to facilitate people-to-people contacts between Taiwan and Myanmar. TECO in Myanmar also helps to promote mutually beneficial exchanges between the two sides in such areas as trade and investment, agriculture and fisheries, labor, education, culture, and tourism.
Taiwan business people have been exploring market opportunities in Myanmar mainly after 2013 when the investment restriction for Taiwanese was finally lifted. Now, more than 300 Taiwan companies are operating in Myanmar, with 3 banks establishing branch offices and another 10 banks with representatives here.
Before 2013, since Myanmar restricted the direct investment from Taiwan, Taiwan investment must come into Myanmar in the name of a company located in a third country, so the actual investment amount and number of cases are much higher than official statistics. The Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar estimated that the investment has amounted to more than 1 billion US dollars.
Bilateral trade volume increased steadily from US$286.8 million in 2013 to over US$313 million in 2019.There is much room for growth.
Regarding agricultural cooperation, there are investments from and cooperation with Taiwan. A good example is that Taiwan-based Known-You Seed Corporation established in 1968, moved into the Myanmar market in 1994. In 1996, it began to cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture & Irrigation of Myanmar, which founded an agricultural school in Bago. The most frequently imported product is watermelon. The watermelons in the market here are somehow connected to seeds and technology from Taiwan. In addition, a MOU on Agricultural Cooperation between the Council of Agriculture in Taiwan and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Myanmar was signed in 2014.
Regarding people-to-people exchange between the two sides, educational exchange is gradually becoming pretty strong. This month alone, over 350 Myanmar students went to study at Taiwanese vocational and high schools. This summer, 4 students have been awarded the Taiwan Scholarships: two have received full scholarship for PHD study, one for Master’s degree study and one for undergraduate study. Another 3 students have been awarded the ICDF scholarships, also going to Taiwan for degree study. Yet another student has been awarded a scholarship and he has left for Taiwan to study Mandarin. This year alone, the total number of Myanmar students to study in Taiwan is over 1000.
There is direct flight linking Myanmar and Taiwan. Taiwan’s “China Airlines” offers flights from Taiwan to Yangon. Before the outbreak of Covid-19, Taiwan’s China Airlines offers five to seven flights per week between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Yangon International Airport. Now it offers two flights per week, but expects its frequency to increase when businesses and tourism pick up.
The medical exchange and cooperation is also increasing. Taiwan is famous for its national health insurance plan, which is ranked number one in the world. Its medical capability and public health system are quite mature. During the past two years, it has been quite successful in managing the Covid-19 situation in Taiwan. According to Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking, Taiwan is ranked 8th in the world. More importantly, Taiwan is willing to share its expertise and experience with other countries and to contribute to countries in need. With Myanmar, it has had a few webinars for medical experts to exchange information and experience; and it has donated some medical supplies to local hospitals and institutions. In addition, it continues to invite Myanmar physicians to participate in clinical training programs in Taiwan.
Mr. Li stated: “Simply put, we are here to make friends on behalf of the Taiwanese people. We have a very strong intention to enhance mutual understanding, and exchange and cooperation between the people of Taiwan and the people here in Myanmar.”
Released on Aug. 12, 2022 by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Myanmar (TECO Myanmar); Contact Email: mmr@mofa.gov.tw
Mr. Charles C. Li, Representative of TECO Myanmar
