2020年的大部動員代表關鍵字除了「疫情」之外，應該就是會總厚植「印太」了。美中大國政治的為深激烈角力讓國際社會更聚焦於印太情勢的脈動，紛紛採取積極佈署、耕新提早應對的政策作為，這也突顯了印太這個廣大區域在地緣政治或地緣經濟上的實力重要性。
Besides the word epidemic,大部動員 the other defining keyword of 2020 should be “Indo-Pacific”. The intense political rivalry between the United States and China has allowed the international community to focus more on the changing dynamics of the Indo-Pacific.
台灣從90年代開始，即有以經貿、會總厚植投資為主軸、為深針對東南亞國家推出的耕新「南向政策」，讓台灣成為許多合作國家的政策主要境外投資來源。從這個基礎延伸，實力2016年開始的大部動員「新南向政策」更強調雙向的交流，「以人為本」的會總厚植合作議程，讓台灣的為深對外關係不再只限於經貿投資領域的合作能量，也包括了雙向的人才與技術交流、資源分享、社會文化、藝術與認同的醞釀。
換言之，以人為中心的政策理念也讓雙向交流及合作的領域擴及更豐富的議題：從經濟、貿易、投資、教育、科技，到農業、勞動力、文化等，從而達成了台灣與鄰近夥伴國家齊力促進區域韌性（Regional resilience）的各項合作。尤其在疫情擴散的嚴峻情勢中，如何強化區域整體、個別國家、以及個別社會的韌性發展，顯得更為重要。新南向政策所醞釀區域合作的多元性，讓我們能在情勢詭譎的今日以穩健的腳步持續前行。
Since the 1990s, Taiwan has adopted a "Southbound Policy" focusing on the island’s investment in the Southeast Asia. By extension, the New Southbound Policy （NSP）launched in 2016 holding the people-oriented agenda is no longer limited to the numbers in the field of economic and trade, but a human-centric value driving exchanges in talents, technology, resource sharing, social culture, art, and identity cultivation. With such a value, the New Southbound Policy has been practiced for a great variety of issues (economy, education, technology, agriculture, labor, art & culture, etc), which has allowed Taiwan and her regional partners to work together for the regional resilience.
其中，經濟合作就是一個明顯的例子，新南向政策促使臺灣在面對全球供應鏈重組的浪潮中，搭建出更具韌性的體質。從供應鏈的角度來看，新南向政策有助於推進台灣與東南亞、南亞市場及在地社會的連結。當前的疫情加速了台灣產業的數位化發展步調，將更有助深化雙邊的經貿合作。
From the perspective of the supply chain, the NSP is more conducive to promoting the connection between Taiwan and South and Southeast Asia, and their local communities. The current epidemic has accelerated the pace of the digital development of Taiwan’s industries and will help deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
用科學與技術，打造區域性的堅韌實力
如果說經貿數字是新南向廣度的展現，那麼科技、農業、醫療則代表了深度地實踐。四年前開始，科技部在新南向夥伴國家陸續推動了12個「海外科學研究與技術創新中心」，領域遍及醫療生技、環境永續、水質工程、農業技術、半導體創新、人工智慧等。
舉例來說，跨國的「智慧防災新南向計畫」讓台灣與南向夥伴國家共同攜手對抗天災。印尼與菲律賓則在農委會的推動下成立了綜合農業試範區，不僅協助當地農業技術的提升，也期望能為區域與合作方的糧食安全有所貢獻。面對疾病與公共衛生，衛福部啟動的「一國一中心」計畫，由台灣七間醫院或醫學中心協助夥伴國家加強科技醫療能量。相關能力的提升，也代表人才培育的雙向鏈結：科技部、農委會、衛福部提供新南向夥伴國家的人才來台研習。人員之間的交流產生的不單只有知識的厚植或商機的開展，更充滿著機構間的合作默契與濃厚的信任感。
If economic and trade figures represent the breadth of the Policy, then science, technology, agriculture, and medical care represent the depth of our practices. Starting four years ago, the Ministry of Science and Technology has promoted 12 "Overseas Scientific Research and Technology Innovation Centers" in New Southbound partner countries, covering medical and biotechnology, environmental sustainability, water quality engineering, agricultural technology, semiconductor innovation, and artificial intelligence to deal with the region’s common challenges. In Indonesia and the Philippines, comprehensive agricultural zones have been established under the promotion of the Council of Agriculture, which not only assists in the improvement of local agricultural technology but also hopes to contribute to the food security of the region and partners. The exchanges between personnel produce not only the cultivation of knowledge or the development of business opportunities but also the tacit understanding of cooperation and a strong sense of trust between institutions.
在多元文化下，共同培育區域發展的所需人才
不只在個別領域的持續推進，新南向政策也致力於為區域打造人才孵化基地。透過勞動部建立的職業學校與培訓中心，再加上教育部推動的國際化教育，新南向政策讓台灣提供給區域青年適性的學習環境。然而，如果沒有了學習領域作為媒介，人與人之間的信任該怎麼建立呢？
「交朋友最簡單方法就是文化。」文化部長李永得的這句話是最簡單明瞭的回答。文化部在2015年開始組成了有台灣和東南亞藝術家共同參與的「東南亞事務諮詢委員會」，藉由藝文交流，讓我們認識陌生的近鄰。而對於那些熟悉兩邊甚至多邊文化的台灣新住民和海外僑民，移民署、客委會、僑委會、原民會皆努力地透過不同的人文與產學活動，讓他們與其子女對區域更有認同感，他們是台灣與新南向區域及社會的共同珍寶。
Furthermore, the NSP is also committed to creating a talent incubation base for the region. Through vocational schools and training centers established by the Ministry of Labor, coupled with the international education promoted by the Ministry of Education, the NSP allows Taiwan to provide a befitting learning environment for regional youth. However, if there is no learning field as a medium for connection, how can trust between people be established? The answer lies in the words of the Minister of Culture, according to Yung-te Lee “the easiest way to make friends is through culture.” Regarding those living with cultures both from Taiwan and other NSP countries as the region’s common treasure, ministries of Immigration, Hakka Affairs, Overseas Community Affairs, and Indigenous Peoples foster a regional identity with care.
區域對話，從玉山論壇開始
不論是官方或民間的合作，在「以人為本」的前提下，「對話」之於新南向政策是一個必要的過程，它為區域合作扎下重要的基礎。「玉山論壇」因而誕生，成為亞洲創新與進步的對話平台。這個由臺灣亞洲交流基金會籌辦的大型國際論壇不是學術研討會議，而是具有實踐意涵與促進合作功能的重要國際平台。每年的玉山論壇均邀請區域夥伴國家以及理念相近國家的代表聚集在台灣，大家一同探討區域的未來，同時也期待玉山論壇能向世界傳達台灣的聲音以及台灣與合作夥伴開展共同利益、為區域發展問題提供解方的最佳實踐（Best practice）。
Photo Credit: 臺灣亞洲交流基金會Under the premise of a people-oriented approach, mutual dialogues are a necessary component of the NSP, which lays an important foundation for regional cooperation. The Yushan Forum was initiated and became a dialogue platform for innovation and progress in Asia. This large-scale international forum organized by the Taiwan-Asian Exchange Foundation is not an academic seminar, but an international platform with practical recommendations and cooperation functions. Every year, the Yushan Forum invites representatives from regional partner countries and countries with similar ideas to gather in Taiwan, discussing the future of the region together. At the same time, we look forward to the Yushan Forum conveying the voice of Taiwan to the world and providing the best practice of solutions for regional issues.
本文章內容由「臺灣亞洲交流基金會」提供。