President Ma Ying-jeou has called for Taiwan to pursue a program of medical diplomacy. Ma was speaking Thursday at an awards ceremony for quality in biotechnology and medical care.
Ma said that Cuba has led the world in medical diplomacy, training 70,000 doctors from third world countries since the 1960’s. Taiwan’s diplomatic allies are among the countries that have benefited from Cuba’s medical diplomacy.
Ma said that Taiwan is a global leader in terms of medicine. He said that I-Shou University opened a special class for foreign medical students three years ago. Ma said training doctors from around the world presents a new opportunity for Taiwan’s foreign policy.