The Yushan Forum: Asian Dialogue for Innovation and Progress, launched in 2017, is a platform for Asian regional dialogue initiated by Taiwan with the purpose of expanding multifaceted opportunities for cooperation and facilitating the exchange of ideas, talent, technologies, and social initiatives.
The 2023 Yushan Forum’s theme is “Start a New Blueprint for Asian Development.” With the World Health Organization (WHO) ending the global emergency status for COVID-19 on May 5, 2023, the world is now eager to move on. In the wake of the challenges and opportunities brought by the pandemic, Asian leaders across all sectors are redrafting their roadmaps for the future.
The opening ceremony will be led by remark of President Tsai Ing-wen and TAEF Chairman Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao, followed by speeches from President Ross Joseph Kun from Republic of Nauru, former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft, senior official for APEC Matt Murray, and Chairman of Japan-ROC Diet Member’s Consultative Council, Keiji Furuya.
The first day's program will focus on the achievements and positive impacts of the New Southbound Policy over the past 7 years, and how it can lead Taiwan and its New Southbound partners to work more closely with society to address common challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. The first session of the first day will be led by Minister without Portfolio, Mr. John Chen-Chung Deng, who will start a dialogue between the important government leader team of 11 Taiwanese Ministries and representatives from the U.S., New Zealand, the Philippines, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, to review the results of the joint efforts of Taiwan and the NSP countries.
The second day of the forum will kick off with the Prospect Asia Roundtable (PAR), a high-level policy dialogue in which Vice President Lai Ching-te will deliver a speech, and representatives of the Philippines, New Zealand, India, and the United States will also discuss the direction of Asia's future development and the key points of cooperation in the postpandemic Asia.
The following Sessions VI and VII will open with keynote speeches by Ralph A. Cossa, President Emeritus and WSD-Handa Chair of the Pacific Forum USA, and Ichiro Kabasawa, CEO of The Nippon Foundation. Future Forward Party from Thailand, Forward Alliance from Taiwan, Taiwan Alliance in International Development (Taiwan AID), National Palace Museum, Taipei National University of the Arts, and a documentary filmmaker; these leaders from all walks of life will come together for dialogues focusing on the 5 core programs of the TAEF and to explore the future of collaboration in Asia from a civil society’s perspective. The luncheon will be hosted by Chairman of TAEF, and feature a keynote address by Alessandro Minuto-Rizzo, President of NATO Defense College Foundation.
Focusing on regional prosperity and stability, the forum will spotlight Taiwan’s initiatives under the New Southbound Policy (NSP), which has been at the core of Taiwan’s Indo-Pacific strategy since its launch in 2016 by President Tsai Ing-wen. In particular, it will highlight the NSP’s accomplishments in the public, private, and civil society sectors. The forum will be a gathering of policymakers and prominent leaders from Taiwan, NSP partner countries, like-minded countries, and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region to discuss pragmatic blueprints for fostering inclusive and resilient growth in post pandemic Asia.