Taiwan and Indonesia signed Dec. 20 an agreement to foster cooperation in geodesy and geomatics, the scientific fields concerned with measuring the Earth and gathering, storing and processing geographical information, respectively, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
The accord, the first of its kind that either side has concluded with an international partner, was inked in Taipei City by John C. Chen, representative of Taipei Economic and Trade Office in Indonesia, and Robert James Bintaryo, head of Indonesian Economic and Trade Office to Taipei.
Under the pact, both sides will strengthen cooperation in geodesy and geomatics through exchanging experience, expertise and technology as well as collaborating on talent cultivation, the MOI said. These efforts are expected to further research in surveying engineering and help Taiwan enterprises in related fields tap into the Indonesian market, the ministry added.
MOI Minister Yeh Jiunn-rong said at the signing ceremony that Taiwan’s public, private and academic sectors have achieved fruitful results in the scientific disciplines, adding that sharing the nation’s expertise will prove beneficial to regional development.
Yeh also pointed out that the agreement is in line with the government’s New Southbound Policy. A key component of President Tsai Ing-wen’s national development strategy, the initiative seeks to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
Taiwan has taken a number of steps to boost regional academic and technological exchanges in the fields in recent years. In July, the MOI hosted the ASEAN-Taiwan Forum on Land Surveying and Geomatics, gathering experts from East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. (KWS-E)
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