TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan wants to expand education cooperation with Paraguay through more scholarships, stronger technical training, and deeper university ties, Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) said Friday.
Speaking with Paraguayan international affairs analyst Jorge D. Codas Thompson on Paraguayan broadcaster Telefuturo, Chen said education has long been central to Taiwan’s development. He said investing in human talent is one of the best ways to help countries prepare for future growth.
Chen pointed to the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University project as an example of successful cooperation. He said the project has been running for eight years and has trained more than 300 graduates.
Taiwan hopes to build on that progress and bring the university partnership to a higher level, Chen said. He added that Taiwan is also working with other education institutions in Paraguay to expand academic cooperation.
The goal is to help Paraguay train the workers and specialists it will need for the next stage of economic growth, Chen said. Taiwan is happy to support this effort through the university and other education programs, he said.
Since 1990, Taiwan has helped train more than 800 Paraguayan scholarship students, Chen said. He said Taiwan is willing to deepen cooperation with Paraguay in scholarships, higher education, and technical training.
Chen said Taiwan recently met with a major education institution in Asuncion to discuss more academic exchanges. Both sides share the goal of increasing scholarships for Paraguayan students, he said.
Taiwan currently offers scholarships through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund. These programs cover vocational training and higher education, Chen said.
Chen said Taiwan wants more young Paraguayans to study in Taiwan and learn more about the country. These students can help build a stronger bridge between Taiwan and Paraguay, he said.
