New Delhi: Taiwan's representative to India, Baushuan Ger announced the opening of the third diplomatic mission in Mumbai next week. Ger noted that over the years, Taiwan and India have developed a natural and reliable partnership
"Although geographically distant, our shared commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law has been instrumental in deepening our bilateral cooperation across many sectors", Ger said during a programme here held to celebrate Taiwan's 113th national day on Tuesday.
He asserted that while the Republic of China and the Republic of India maintained brief diplomatic relations from 1947 to 1949, it was not until 1995 that Taiwan and India re-engaged and established representative offices in Taipei and New Delhi.
"Following our Chennai office set up in 2012, I am pleased to announce that we will inaugurate our third mission, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Mumbai next week. While the 30th anniversary is approaching, through these three missions, we look forward to working closely with our partners across India to bring bilateral ties to new heights", said the Taiwanese top official.
The bilateral trade volume has surged from five billion USD in 2016 to 8.2 billion USD in 2023, a notable 64 per cent increase. India stands as Taiwan's 16th largest trading partner. Approximately 260 Taiwanese companies operate in India, with a cumulative investment of five billion USD, spanning from footwear, machinery and auto parts to petrochemicals and ICT products.
Ger pointed out that the contributions of Taiwanese enterprises in India have been remarkable. "They have collectively created over 170,000 jobs in India. Not only do they bring advanced technology and management expertise but also create vast employment opportunities and contribute to the goal of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'," Ger noted.
The agreement on labour mobility, signed in February this year, will further facilitate people-to-people engagement, offering new opportunities for empowerment and skill development for many young people in India, he added.
"With the ongoing technology-transfer collaborative project between Taiwan's PSMC and India's Tata Electronics in constructing the first 12-inch semiconductor fab in Dholera, Gujarat, we have shown a clear and sustained commitment to deepening industrial cooperation with an aim to help strengthen India's manufacturing and semiconductor ecosystems," Ger said.
"In education, we have set up 36 Taiwan Education Centers across Indian university campuses, where over 14,000 Indian students have taken up Mandarin courses. Along with approximately 3,000 Indian students studying in Taiwan at present, this growing number of students will serve as a bridge of friendship, connecting peoples and cultures from both countries", he said.
According to Ger, in science and technology, Taiwan and India have also achieved great strides, with 130 joint research projects successfully completed in recent years.
"Taiwan has co-hosted workshops on the themes of bio-manufacturing and semiconductors as well as facilitated visits by Indian scientists and students to explore semiconductor fabrication in Taiwan, laying the groundwork for future collaboration," he added.
He said that this year is a historic one for democracy, with over half of the world’s population going to polls, noting that in January, Taiwan smoothly conducted its eighth direct presidential election, marking another milestone in the country's constitutional democratic governance, which once again underscores that the ROC Taiwan is a free and democratic sovereign country and neither democratic Taiwan nor communist China is subordinate to the other.
"And in June, India successfully completed its general elections, representing the largest exercise in democracy in human history," he added.
He also highlighted that in the face of China’s unceasing cross-Strait military intimidation and grey-zone threats, Taiwan has worked hard to strengthen its self-defence capabilities.
"While the international community has increasingly recognised that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is indispensable to international security and prosperity－a position which the G7 leaders’ communique in June has re-affirmed for the fourth consecutive year, we will continue to protect our hard-won democratic way of life without bowing to pressure", added Ger.
He also said that as countries work to preserve shared prosperity by diversifying their sourcing, Taiwan, with its leadership in semiconductors and electronic manufacturing, stands ready to play a crucial role in securing a resilient global supply chain.
"Moving forward, we look to join hands with India and other partners to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific and strengthen the global supply chain in line with the rules-based international order", he added.
