Taiwan is going to set up 100 new Mandarin training centers in the United States and Europe in the next four years. That's the word from Overseas Community Affairs Council Minister Tung Chen-yuan on Tuesday.
In an interview with RTI on Tuesday, Minister Tung said the language schools Taiwan set up in the US in the past cater to second- and third-generation Taiwanese children and teens. The new Mandarin training centers will allow mainstream American society to get to know Taiwan better.
The Council's primary mission is to serve Taiwanese people living abroad and aid in the education of their children. However, it plans to expand its presence in western societies at large. It wants to create spaces for cultural exchange and showcase the Taiwanese lifestyle and values.
Minister Tung says his organization is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, and the American Institute in Taiwan to achieve its goals. He says second-generation overseas Taiwanese are active in youth organizations want better language skills to help their careers, so this is an important area in which the OCAC wants to develop cooperation.