On 13 September, the TRO hosted a closing ceremony for a bilateral programme promoting Taiwan-UK civil service cooperation called the “Take-Off Programme for Senior Civl Service”. Under the programme jointly run by the Taiwan Civil Service Protection & Training Commission (CSPTC) and the UK Civil Service College (CSC),18 Taiwanese senior officials visited British government agencies and departments, academic institutions in Oxford and Leeds as well as local authorities in northern England to strengthen mutual understanding between Taiwan and the UK’s civil services. During the closing ceremony, the 18 Taiwanese officials were presented a certificate of completion by former Minister of State for Trade and Investment and Cabinet Office Minister Lord Francis Maude, who oversaw major reforms in the UK Civil Service during his tenure.
In his remarks, Representative Lin stressed that as exchanges between Taiwan and the UK continue to grow, effective cooperation and communication between officials of all levels from Taiwan and the UK has become increasingly important. He concluded by expressing hope that cooperation between the CSC and CPTSC will continue to expand and that the Taiwanese officials will promote the Taiwan-UK relationship upon their return. Following Representative Lin’s speech, Lord Maude expressed his admiration for Taiwan’s achievements and emphasised that the relationship between the UK and Taiwan is “better than it has ever been.” The former minister also expressed hope that he can work more with the government of Taiwan in the future.
