The government is set to increase the size of the budget set aside for implementing the New Southbound Policy.
The New Southbound Policy is government’s initiative to strengthen Taiwan’s ties with Southeast Asia and India. However, DPP lawmaker Liu Shyh-Fang has criticized the NT$4.2 billion budget for carrying out the policy as too small.
In response, Cabinet spokesperson Tung Chen-yuan said Wednesday said that most government agencies are still preparing to put the policy into action, and that investment will grow significantly in 2017.
“Under the New Southbound Policy promotion plan, 2017 will be the first year we begin putting the New Southbound Policy into action," said Tung. "All of the government agencies involved are drafting their action plans. Once those are done, the central government will integrate the resources of local governments, private companies, and NGO’s. Thus for 2017, the government will invest much more than NT$4.2 billion.”
Once again, that was Cabinet Spokesperson Tung Chen-yuan speaking on Wednesday.