The first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Skills Development Capacity Building Center was inaugurated Nov. 2 in Taichung City, central Taiwan—a win-win outcome for the economic forum and the government as it continues implementing the New Southbound Policy to strengthen ties with countries in the region.
Established in conjunction with the Ministry of Labor, the center will accelerate the cluster effect, boost vocational training standards, expand people-to-people exchanges, facilitate two-way investment and upgrade human capital throughout the Asia-Pacific. Taichung was selected as the site for the center on the strength of its growing role as a high-tech manufacturing hub for value-added industries of the 21st century and beyond.
Two of these, aerospace and smart machinery, are core components of the national defense industry—one of the five major industrial development objectives at the heart of the government’s New Model for Economic Development.
Minister without Portfolio Deng Chen-chung said at the inauguration ceremony that the center will play an invaluable role in strengthening cooperation and boosting exchanges across the areas of human resources, investment and technology with countries covered by the New Southbound Policy.
A central plank in the government’s national development strategy, the policy aims to create fresh economic impetus and deepen business, cultural, education and trade links between Taiwan and Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. A top priority of the policy is bolstering people-to-people exchanges and talent flows between Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
Another important development on the sidelines of the inauguration was the signing of strategic partnership memorandum of understanding between Taiwan and Australia. Under the pact, Taiwan will adopt Australia’s Certificate IV in Training and Assessment program, and both sides will cooperate on providing vocational training for the tourism and restaurant sectors in accordance with the APEC Skills Development Capacity Building Alliance.
Huang Chiu-kuei, director-general of the Workforce Development Agency under the Ministry of Labor, welcomed the memorandum and said it would increase public-private sector collaboration and pave the way for Taiwan to partner with those countries targeted by the policy in creating high-quality and high-paying jobs in the Asia-Pacific.
The center is an initiative of the ASD-CBA, which was proposed by Taiwan during APEC’s 2015 High Level Policy Dialogue on Human Capacity Building. Since joining APEC in 1991, Taiwan has made substantial contributions to numerous initiatives and projects undertaken by forum as it seeks to create greater prosperity for the people of the region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth. (SCK-E)
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