Taiwan Today

The Global Cooperation and Training Framework transcends national and cultural boundaries.

In September 2024 Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) made the opening speech at the International Workshop on Setting an Ambitious Path Towards a Net-Zero Future in Taipei City. The event, held under the auspices of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF), attracted nearly 180 participants from 26 countries, fostering an exchange of innovative strategies and policies to combat climate change and drive sustainable growth. Over the course of three days attendees explored advancements in green finance and the circular economy through seminars and visits to local businesses and financial institutions. Jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Ministry of Environment, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, Australian Office Taipei and Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, the workshop highlighted Taiwan’s role as a leader in promoting digital transformation and net-zero initiatives.

Building on the event’s collaborative spirit, Lin emphasized the GCTF’s vital role in uniting global partners to tackle issues of mutual concern through capacity building and knowledge sharing. Launched in 2015 as a milestone in Taiwan-U.S. relations, the framework has since expanded to include Japan, Australia, and most recently, Canada, which joined in August. Lin warmly welcomed the fifth full GCTF partner, noting, “I’m deeply touched by our partners’ enthusiasm and vitality as we stand united on the front line of global challenges.” The minister also highlighted how the GCTF fosters deeper international engagement with Taiwan. “This platform not only strengthens partnerships but also allows nations to better understand Taiwan,” he said. Over the years the framework has grown into a dynamic hub for hosting workshops and training programs with countries around the world. “The GCTF exemplifies innovative collaboration, allowing like-minded partners to address pressing global issues through practical cooperation,” explained Wang Liang-yu (王良玉), director general of MOFA’s Department of North American Affairs and head of the GCTF Secretariat.

During a press conference in September AIT Director Raymond Greene highlighted key priorities for deepening U.S.-Taiwan collaboration, emphasizing resilience, security and connectivity. “We seek to enable Taiwan to share its experience in multilateral forums and seize opportunities to engage with international partners,” he said. “Everyone benefits from Taiwan’s knowledge and leadership in addressing today’s most complex concerns.” Greene reiterated that the GCTF serves as a powerful platform for advancing these goals. “The framework showcases Taiwan’s expertise in tackling critical issues ranging from transnational crime and cybersecurity to women’s empowerment while simultaneously fostering regional partnerships and bolstering Taiwan’s international presence,” he added.

Expanding Reach
In the past decade the GCTF has organized more than 80 international workshops on topics spanning cybersecurity, e-commerce, energy efficiency, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, law enforcement cooperation, media literacy, public health, and women’s empowerment. As of November 2024, more than 10,000 government officials, experts and civil society representatives from 132 countries have participated in these events. “The figures reflect the international community’s recognition of the GCTF and Taiwan’s professional expertise,” Wang said. She highlighted training programs on detecting and managing infectious diseases like dengue fever, enterovirus and tuberculosis as key examples of the GCTF’s impact on global health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the framework adapted to address critical issues such as vaccination, pandemic-related misinformation and digital transformation through online forums. Additionally, overseas GCTF initiatives have provided tangible benefits, including initiatives in Belize and Eswatini to combat gender-based violence and advance women’s rights.
 

In 2019 the International Austro​nesian Languages Revitalization Forum in Palau marked the first GCTF event held outside Taiwan. Two years later, the framework expanded further with the first GCTF workshop in Czechia. This model, organized by Taiwan, the U.S. and other like-minded countries’ foreign missions alongside local public and private sectors, tailors training events to the specific needs of the host nation. By 2024 affiliated workshops had taken place in a range of countries, including Canada, Eswatini, Greece, Lithuania, Malaysia, Palau, Saint Lucia, Switzerland and Tuvalu. In August Tuvalu hosted its first GCTF event to discuss strengthening climate change resilience in small island states. Speakers and participants from Australia, Japan, Palau, Sweden, Taiwan, the Marshall Islands, the U.S. and Tuvalu itself explored innovative strategies and shared best practices. The program also included visits to the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project and its floating solar panel initiative, offering firsthand insights into local efforts to tackle extreme weather.

The GCTF’s diverse programs in areas such as civil aviation and law enforcement play an important role in supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations, including the International Civil Aviation Organization and Interpol. GCTF events have also been held alongside major global gatherings, such as the World Health Assembly in Geneva and the U.N. General Assembly in New York, to highlight Taiwan’s contributions to health care services and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. “These initiatives demonstrate that Taiwan is willing and able to contribute to the international community,” Wang said.
 

Next Phase
The GCTF’s full partners convene regularly for joint committee meetings to evaluate past activities and outline future priorities. The most recent, held in September 2024 in Taipei, welcomed the British Office Taipei as an observer. The meeting’s participants reaffirmed governance, prosperity, rule of law, resilience and sustainability as the framework’s core values and identified key topics for 2025. These priorities include combating drug trafficking and money laundering, fostering whole-of-society resilience, advancing net-zero goals through green trade and sustainable transitions, enhancing cross-border collaboration via public-private partnerships in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and promoting media literacy to counter misinformation and interference. With 2025 marking the GCTF’s 10th anniversary, the meeting also focused on strategies to elevate the framework and ensure its continued growth as a vital platform for international cooperation.

Looking ahead, Wang emphasized the importance of expanding the GCTF’s reach through overseas initiatives. “We support our foreign embassies and representative offices in organizing GCTF activities abroad and strengthening partnerships with local governments,” she said. Wang also revealed plans for an upgraded GCTF 2.0 developed with other ministries and agencies. This next phase will further promote Taiwan on the global stage and enhance the country’s role as a regional hub for Southeast Asian personnel cultivation.
 

Lin echoed these aspirations, describing the GCTF as a unique platform that transcends national and cultural boundaries, fostering solidarity among democracies. “It showcases Taiwan’s commitment to leveraging expertise to build capacity in the region and to pursue substantive exchange on shared challenges,” he said. Lin called the GCTF an embodiment of the MOFA’s integrated diplomacy, a principle central to Taiwan’s international engagement. “I envision the framework uniting diverse resources as we continue working alongside the U.S., Japan, Australia, Canada and other like-minded nations. Together, we can actively contribute to global progress, demonstrating not only that Taiwan can help but that Taiwan can lead.”

Write to Pat Gao at cjkao@mofa.gov.tw