Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to build an international NGO center in the capital of Taipei as part of a broader plan to attract more nonprofits to the country. This bid for what the ministry dubbed “NGO diplomacy” arrives amid an increasing threat of Chinese incursion.
“One of the major motivations probably would be to increase the positive role of Taiwan in the region, and therefore hopefully strengthen the support of the region for Taiwan’s position and … buttress a little bit against the pressure from China,” said Robert Wang, a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former deputy director of the American Institute in Taiwan.
In January, Lin Chia-lung, Taiwan’s minister of foreign affairs, told local media that it intended “to bring Taiwan closer to the world” by building a dedicated NGO center with potential rent subsidies, easing the financial threshold for foreign nonprofits to open an office, and creating a bilingual website to support them.
About the author
Rebecca L. Root
Rebecca L. Root is a freelance reporter for Devex based in Bangkok. Previously senior associate & reporter, she produced news stories, video, and podcasts as well as partnership content. She has a background in finance, travel, and global development journalism and has written for a variety of publications while living and working in Bangkok, New York, London, and Barcelona.
