Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung and Minister of Health and Welfare Tai-Yuan Chiu held a joint ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on the 14th, where they decided to establish an inter-ministerial advisory group. This group will include experts from medical institutions, healthcare industries, and professional associations engaged in international medical and health cooperation. Additionally, MOFA and the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) will collaborate to form the "Taiwan Medical Diplomacy Team", leveraging public and private sector resources to deepen Taiwan's public health and medical partnerships with allied and friendly nations.
Lin Chia-lung emphasized in a Facebook post that "healthcare is not just a fundamental human right but also a highlight of Taiwan's diplomatic outreach." He noted that President Lai Ching-te, a physician himself, places great importance on international medical cooperation and hopes to enhance Taiwan's public health and medical capabilities through strengthened partnerships with other nations, ensuring that "Healthy Taiwan" benefits the world. Lin cited Paraguay, one of Taiwan’s allies in South America, as an example—Taiwan assisted in establishing a Health Information System (HIS) that now serves 70% of Paraguay’s population, reducing patient consultation times from at least 2.5 hours to just 30 minutes. The initiative has received widespread praise from the Paraguayan public and even led Paraguay to speak out in support of Taiwan at the World Health Organization (WHO).
Since assuming office, Lin Chia-lung has actively pursued a "comprehensive diplomacy" strategy, launching the "Prosperous Allies Initiative", which includes eight flagship projects. Among them, "Smart Healthcare and the Health Industry" is a key component of Taiwan’s medical diplomacy policy. To better integrate efforts and resources, Lin and Chiu convened the joint ministerial meeting to implement President Lai’s policy vision. Lin expressed hopes that Taiwan could leverage its strengths in public health and medical care, integrate its biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and ICT industries, and combine talent, technology, and capital to promote the export of Taiwan’s smart healthcare solutions. This "medicine-driven industrial development" approach aims to support Taiwan’s healthcare industries in expanding into global markets.
Lin also recalled an unexpected car accident during his visit to Palau earlier this year. Fortunately, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital has been deeply involved in Palau’s healthcare system for nearly 20 years, significantly improving its overall medical standards. As a result, the injured delegation members received timely and professional medical care and were able to return to Taiwan safely. This incident underscored the mutual benefits of international medical cooperation.
Looking ahead, Lin stated that MOFA and MOHW will continue collaborating with various partners to deepen international medical and health cooperation. By promoting the "Healthy Taiwan" vision, Taiwan aims to contribute to global public health and smart healthcare development, while also advancing the international expansion of Taiwan’s healthcare-related industries—a step toward the goal of an "economy that never sets" on the global stage.
Resource: 外交部、衛福部共推醫療外交 深化友邦及友好國家公衛醫療合作
