Indian scholar highlights Taiwan's unique strengths in enhancing Indo-Pacific resilience

Taiwan possesses unique advantages in bolstering the resilience of the Indo-Pacific region and is evolving from a traditional aid provider into a crucial strategic partner, according to Dr. L. Venkateshwaran, Managing Director and Director of Strategic Relations at India's RISET Foundation.

Speaking at the 6th "International Development Aid Forum" hosted by Taiwan's International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), Lokanathan emphasized Taiwan's technological transformation capabilities and diverse cooperation models. He highlighted Taiwan's extensive experience in agriculture, public health, and small and medium-sized enterprises as foundational to its growing strategic importance.

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Taiwan possesses unique advantages in strengthening Indo-Pacific resilience, and is continuously transforming from a traditional aid provider into a key strategic partner, jointly promoting transparent and rules-based long-term sustainable development.

The forum, which gathered nearly 60 scholars and experts from Taiwan and abroad, focused on the paradigm shift in global development cooperation. Discussions covered Taiwan's foreign aid experiences, the importance of localization and triangular cooperation, and Taiwan's positioning within the new international aid environment.

Scholars explored Taiwan's role in translating aid, with Associate Professor Ni Chou-Hua of the University of Technology and Engineering, Kinmen, tracing the evolution of Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the post-WWII Marshall Plan to the current UN Sustainable Development Goals. Professor Chen Wei-Hua of Central Police University noted that American aid left Taiwan not just with financial investment but also with a legacy of knowledge, institutions, and talent development.

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The most important value left by US aid to Taiwan was not just financial investment, but also the inheritance of knowledge, institutions, and talent development models.

As international development cooperation increasingly emphasizes demand-driven approaches and local participation, "localization" has emerged as a key trend. Yen Chen-Wei, a doctoral student at National Chengchi University, proposed that Taiwan could leverage its "technology translation capabilities" to bridge donor countries and partner nations. He suggested integrating diverse cooperation models, such as hackathons and blue finance governance, to enhance Taiwan's functional role within international multilateral networks.

Finally, Dr. Hsu Tzu-Ci, Director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chunghwa Institution for Economic Research, analyzed critical variables facing the international development aid system. She examined the potential impact of US policy adjustments and considered Taiwan's strategic positioning amid the restructuring of the global aid landscape.

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Taiwan can further leverage the 'technology translation capability' accumulated through its industrial advantages to become an important bridge between northern donor countries and southern partner countries.