Taiwan teen diplomats undertake South East Asia tour

2016/01/26

A group of 12 students from three Taiwan senior high schools are visiting Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand Jan. 24 to Feb. 3 as part of the Teen Diplomatic Envoys program organized by the ROC ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs.

“The government is committed to promoting our young people’s connections with the international community, particularly members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership,” MOFA Vice Minister Leo Lee said.

“I’m confident these youths will serve as outstanding representatives for Taiwan and showcase the energy and vibrancy of our country.”

Lee made the remarks during a send-off event at MOFA headquarters Jan. 22 in Taipei City. Other attendees included Piroon Laismit, executive director of the Thailand Trade and Economic Office; Anwar Udzir, president of the Malaysian Friendship and Trade Center; and Wong Wie-kuen, representative of the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei.

Selected from 400-plus candidates nominated by 113 educational institutions around Taiwan, the students all topped the program’s key assessments of impromptu English speech competitions and group-based activities.

The students, who hail from Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School, as well as Taoyuan City-based Fudan High School and National Wu-ling Senior High School, are visiting governmental and nongovernmental organizations in the capitals of the three ASEAN countries.

In addition, the group is touring academic institutions, cultural attractions and Taiwan’s representative offices. They are to be accompanied by teachers and officials from both ministries.

Since its launch in 2002, the envoys program has sent 152 Taiwan high school students in 38 teams to 10 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=241663&ctNode=2194&mp=9)