Developing the skills and potential of immigrants to Taiwan will both serve the nation's needs and advance human rights, Premier Mao Chi-kuo said at the Cabinet meeting today.
After hearing the Ministry of the Interior's (MOI) report on a program to strengthen services to first- and second-generation immigrants, the premier said that the government's objectives in handling immigrant affairs are two-fold—to build a pool of talent specializing in Southeast Asian markets, and to serve the needs and expectations of different ethnicities appropriately.
Taiwan is now home to 500,000 immigrants—many of whom have come from Southeast Asia and mainland China for marriage—and 350,000 second-generation immigrants. Taiwan must provide them with more comprehensive rights protection and better living standards if it is to become a culturally blended and diverse society, the premier said.
From the nation's point of view, the languages and cultures brought by Southeast Asian immigrants are valuable assets, Mao said. He asked the Ministry of Education to create a better environment for the second generation to learn their native tongues. More training programs are also needed for helping them build language advantages, access work opportunities in Southeast Asia, and connect with the world. All of these efforts will give the new children of Taiwan broader opportunities for development.
The MOI said its program strengthens support for immigrants with a vision of creating a multicultural society. The program includes measures for native-language learning, focal projects, grants for pursuing dreams, scholarship awards and skill training initiatives.