Taipei: Taiwan on Wednesday celebrated the 30th anniversary of the founding of its government-funded foreign aid agency, the TaiwanICDF, while pledging to continue to provide foreign aid to countries around the world. Speaking at a ceremony marking the occasion, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, whose ministry oversees the TaiwanICDF, highlighted the agency's role in institutionalizing Taiwan's foreign aid efforts.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lin emphasized that over the past 30 years, Taiwan has shared resources and collaborated with the global community through various international cooperation projects. This approach has allowed Taiwan to translate its values of democracy, freedom, and human rights into concrete actions. Lin acknowledged Taiwan's transformation from a former aid recipient to a global leader in sectors like semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
Lin outlined the "Taiwan Model," which focuses on four key pillars: capacity building, social empowerment, smart solutions, and co-prosperity. He expressed Taiwan's desire to form mutually beneficial partnerships and emphasized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' slogan, "Taiwan Can Help, Partners Can Lead," as a means to deepen international alliances.
The event also featured remarks from American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene, who noted the historical collaboration between Taiwan and the United States from 1951 to 1965. Greene commended Taiwan's transparency and effectiveness as a partner in providing technical assistance to countries in need, highlighting shared interests in international security, public health, and supply chain resilience.
According to the TaiwanICDF, Taiwan's overseas development assistance efforts began in 1959 with agricultural technical missions to the Republic of Vietnam. Similar missions were later established in Africa and Latin America, leading to the formation of the Overseas Technical Cooperation Organization in 1972. By 1996, the TaiwanICDF was established to consolidate and coordinate Taiwan's foreign aid programs effectively.
Today, Taiwan offers technical, medical, agricultural, and financial assistance primarily to its diplomatic allies in regions such as the Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa.