The third high-level dialogue under the Taiwan-U.S. Education Initiative wrapped up Feb. 22, underscoring the commitment of the like-minded partners to deepening cooperation on education.
Staged both in-person and online, the event included addresses from Taiwan’s National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Hsu Szu-chien and Daniel Kritenbrink, the U.S. State Department’s Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Other high-profile participants included Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roy Chun Lee, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Tah-ray Yui, Political Deputy Minister of Education Lio Mon-chi and U.S. Department of Education Chief of Staff Sheila Nix. Camille Dawson, the U.S. State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, visited Taiwan to attend the event.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attendees reviewed progress on Mandarin and English teaching cooperation made under the initiative and discussed future collaboration. Both parties also reaffirmed their pledge to strengthen educational exchanges as a way to jointly create a free and open language-learning environment, the ministry added.
Despite COVID-related restrictions, Taiwan and the U.S. have worked closely to advance related cooperation, including increasing funding to U.S. State Department -managed exchange programs and the Fulbright Taiwan program to allow more Americans to study in Taiwan, the MOFA said. In addition, the government is also promoting university-to-university partnerships by expanding Mandarin learning programs and establishing Taiwan centers for Mandarin learning in the U.S., the ministry added.
Taiwan will continue working with the U.S. to deepen the bilateral relationship and uphold the shared values of freedom, democracy and diversity, the ministry said. (YCH-E)
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