TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan is rolling out the welcome mat for global civil society organizations as part of its strategy to strengthen international connections despite its limited formal diplomatic recognition. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) unveiled ambitious plans Tuesday (June 3) to establish a dedicated international non-governmental organization (INGO) center this year that will serve as both a consultation hub and incubator for foreign civic groups. Chiang Zhen-wei (江振瑋), director general of the Department of NGO International Affairs (非政府組織國際事務會), detailed the initiative as part of Taiwan's broader efforts to enhance its international presence through non-governmental channels.
The initiative represents a key component of what Taiwanese officials call "dual-track diplomacy," a strategy that combines traditional government-to-government relations with robust civil society engagement. Since the program's inception in 2020, MOFA has successfully attracted 13 international organizations to establish Taiwan offices, with discussions underway for 37 additional groups. The ministry's efforts have already yielded significant results, with prominent democracy and human rights organizations including the International Republican Institute, Freedom House, and Spirit of America establishing operations alongside regional groups like Japan's Peace Wind and South Korea's Asia Trails Network within the past two years.
To facilitate this influx of international organizations, Taiwan has streamlined bureaucratic procedures that previously hindered foreign NGOs seeking to establish a presence on the island. MOFA has eliminated the preliminary residence permit requirement and halved the financial threshold for foundation applications from NT$30 million (approximately US$1 million) to NT$15 million (approximately US$500,000). The ministry has also developed a comprehensive bilingual online portal providing essential information and resources for interested organizations, complemented by practical support including startup funding grants and temporary office space subsidies for newly arrived groups.
In a related development, the Taiwan Youth Ambassadors program (國際青年大使交流計畫), a cultural diplomacy initiative that sends Taiwanese students abroad as unofficial representatives, will celebrate its legacy with a reunion event Friday evening featuring participants dating back to the program's 2009 inception. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) will personally host the gathering, underscoring the program's importance to Taiwan's international outreach strategy. The ministry has selected 40 youth ambassadors for this year's cohort, who will travel to the Marshall Islands, Hawaii, and Guam as part of a themed diplomatic mission focusing on indigenous cultural connections, branded as "Indigenous Diplomacy" (原民外交). ◼