New Southbound Policy

The New Southbound Policy (Chinese: 新南向政策; pinyin: Xīn Nán Xiàng Zhèngcè) is an initiative of the Taiwanese government under President Tsai Ing-wen that aims to enhance cooperation and exchange between Taiwan and 18 countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Australasia.

[1][2][3] James C. F. Huang was appointed the first director of the New Southbound Policy Office.

[1] As of 2024, the policy had not significantly reduced Taiwan's economic dependence on mainland China.

[6]: 14 The 18 countries targeted by the New Southbound Policy are:[7] In order to support the aims of the New Southbound Policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs officially established the Indo-Pacific Affairs Section.

One focus of the Indo-Pacific section is to forge more cooperative ties with the United States, Australia, and Japan,[8] all of whom have share similar visions for a "free and open Indo-Pacific.