On July 13th, members of the “Taiwan Youth Overseas Exchanges Program” and senior members of the Los Angeles chapter of the “Federation of Overseas Chinese Young Cultural Ambassadors” (FASCA) gathered for a seminar at the Overseas Chinese Cultural and Educational Service Center in Los Angeles. The event aimed to facilitate exchange between the overseas Chinese youth to enhance their sense of identity with Taiwan and encourage Taiwanese youth to broaden their perspectives globally to shine on the world stage together.
Participants included Hsiao Chia-Ching, Chairperson of the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission of the Republic of China, Chen Min-Yung, Director of the Los Angeles Overseas Compatriot Center, as well as advisors from the Taiwanese Presidential Office such as Tian Yi-Hung, Chen Bai-Yu, Chen Chi-Keng, and Yang Hsien-Yi, among many distinguished guests who shared their experiences.
Hsiao Chia-Ching mentioned that during her visit to the United States for nearly a month, she witnessed the enthusiastic participation and active development of various Taiwanese chambers of commerce and overseas Chinese communities in North America. The cultural diversity in Southern California provides a broad space for overseas compatriots, facilitating smoother and more frequent cultural and commercial interactions between Taiwan and the United States. She emphasized that Taiwan’s overseas compatriot affairs should not be limited to cultural promotion but should also extend to various fields like economy, education, and technology, interacting with overseas communities proactively.
The Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission will work towards Taiwan becoming an “economically unstoppable country” and deepen Taiwan’s brand in “Chinese language education,” globally promoting Taiwan’s Chinese language education to make it a preferred destination for learning Chinese. Currently, companies like Google and Apple are inviting Taiwan to establish Chinese language courses within their corporations, which will help enhance cultural awareness and business cooperation between Taiwan and the United States.
Tsai Pei-Hsuan, a student from the Graduate Institute of International Business studies at National Chengchi University participating in the overseas exchange program, expressed that the experience not only allowed her to understand the work of overseas personnel but also learn how to promote relationships between Taiwan and the US. She noticed that although Taiwanese and American youth may have differences in language and expression, through brief exchanges, they quickly understand each other and find common ground.