Building a pool of high-tech talent lays a solid foundation on which further cooperation can be built between Malaysia and Taiwan, Malaysian Representative Sharon Ho said on Friday (September 30).
Ho told Taiwan News that Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) launched high-tech talent training days that promote and cultivate talent amongst Malaysian students. This programme focuses on innovation and R&D in ICT, 5G technology, semiconductors, and nursing.
The representative described the OCAC programme as a “good starting ground” and a “far-sighted initiative” that builds a pool of talent and creates a win-win situation for the two nations.
There were more than 12,000 Malaysian students in Taiwan studying various fields before the COVID-19 pandemic, but numbers will pick up now that it has subsided, she said.
Ho said she is eager to branch out to many other fields of bilateral cooperation and deepen people-to-people ties. She listed medicine, smart agriculture, and ESG as areas of potential collaboration.
The representative said that more cultural and sports exchanges would be possible, pointing to the popularity of badminton in both countries. She also highlighted the importance of education and art exchanges and said her office is currently brainstorming ideas to promote such initiatives.
Ho said Taiwan should broaden its New Southbound Policy to be “more encompassing” and include all Southeast Asian nations, not just a select few.
With regard to tourism, the representative said she is optimistic about the changes Taiwan’s newly opened borders would bring. Malaysia has opened borders since April 1, she said.
In 2019, approximately 560,000 Malaysians visited Taiwan, while 350,000 Taiwanese traveled to Malaysia, Ho said. On average, there were about 76 flights per week between the two nations before the pandemic, she added.
The representative said she looks forward to more friendly and mutually beneficial exchanges and noted that open borders will provide a boost in bilateral exchanges.
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4673490
