TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan and the Philippines recently wrapped up the 8th bilateral ministerial science and technology meeting, a crucial platform for scientific and technological exchanges between the two countries.
Minister of Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Wu Tsung-chung (吳政忠) and Philippines’ Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology Renato Solidum Jr. met in the Philippines province of Bohol where they decided to launch the third phase of the Volcano, Ocean, Typhoon, and Earthquake (VOTE)-Meteorology project and the second phase of the Health, Agriculture, and Talent (HAT) project in the coming year, according to an NSTC press release.
The science and technology talks have been held biennially since 2007.
Wu noted that Taiwan and the Philippines are geographically close and experience similar climate conditions, both dealing with natural disasters brought on by climate change. They also share various challenges in the post-pandemic era in terms of humanity, society, and economics, he said.
The minister expressed hope that through collaborative research efforts, both countries can bring greater prosperity and problem-solving capabilities to their people.
During the meeting, Taiwan and the Philippines reviewed the progress of the second phase of the VOTE project, which includes enhancing weather, ocean meteorology, and short-term climate forecasting capabilities, according to NSTC. These improvements are aimed at bolstering prevention and response capabilities in the face of natural disasters brought on by climate change, as well as research related to earthquakes and tectonic movements, it said.
The two officials also assessed the progress of the HAT project, which saw the launch of the Lab-To-Lab talent training exchange program this year. This program promotes bilateral medical research exchanges and deepens joint efforts in pandemic response and research collaboration, NSTC said.