Science diplomacy, independent of any ideological goals and political agendas, focuses on mutual interests and collaborative efforts to address common problems. The New Southbound Policy serves as a platform to realize the benefits of science diplomacy by leveraging Taiwan’s assets—particularly in technology and agriculture—to promote development within the Indo-Pacific region. In this context, identified potential partners of Taiwan, including the Philippines, have an additional opportunity to pursue effective science diplomacy efforts and consequently improve the state of their Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI). In the Philippines, the youth face myriad problems when engaging in STEM. Most Filipino youths do not find interest in STEM programs; there is a limited number of credible professors, and there is a meager investment in STEM-related education and publication (Kapampangan Media, 2022). While interventions in the STEM education climate have been implemented, such as offering scholarships and financial assistance to qualified students who engage in STEM-related programs, and investments in local and national Science High Schools, there is still much to be done to improve the situation (Manila Times, 2022). As the country’s ability to drive national growth and sustainable economic development depends on its capacity to transform scientific and technological knowledge into products and processes that promote efficiency and productivity, the search for alternatives continues. With this in mind, this paper aims to revisit Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy and exchange programs to explore how they enhance science diplomacy efforts and move toward vibrant youth participation in STEM.
STI at the Core of a Common Aspiration
Placing STI at the core of these programs realizes the goal of science diplomacy, as it capitalizes on STI as a tool to strengthen international relations. Focusing on issues of mutual interest such as addressing climate change, improving vaccines, preventing pandemics, and accessing more accurate data on natural disasters improved the attractiveness of science-centered policies to all parties involved (Buendia et al., 2022). Consequently, there is a higher likelihood that governments will engage with their counterparts to build strategic partnerships, aiming to solve common problems and attain development through STI. As an illustration, the joint research projects of Taiwan and the Philippines on Volcano, Ocean, Typhoon, and Earthquake (VOTE) allowed the two parties to access critical information on future earthquakes and foster researcher-to-researcher cooperation, as exemplified by the coordination of the Philippines Institute for Volcanology and Seismology and Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau (CWB) (Taiwan Panorama, 2024).
In 2017, the Philippines, through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), included Taiwan as one of its first 15 priority bilateral partners (Buendia et al., 2022). From this point onwards, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) signed various memoranda of understanding (MOUs) related to opportunities in STEM education and geohazard agencies (Buendia et al., 2022). Furthermore, government agencies like DOST and the Department of Agriculture (DA) cooperated with Taiwan on other initiatives, such as the provision of sandwich scholarships and overseas internship opportunities for young farmers (Ibid). These programs greatly help young Filipinos access high-caliber resources and facilities and expand their networks by connecting with mentors and colleagues from their counterparts in Taiwan.
The vibrant relations between Taiwan and the Philippines on numerous science-related initiatives reflect how science diplomacy creates a sustainable and inclusive environment for cooperation. Science in this matter transcends differences in national interests, political ideologies, and assessment of geopolitical realities, for it exhibits a high degree of independence. Therefore, navigating the inevitable effects of modernization, globalization, and even unprecedented challenges or shocks has improved over time with the help of this field and its specializations (Flink & Rungius, 2020).
Placing Youth at the Center of Science Diplomacy
The youth will soon be at the forefront of addressing societal challenges as they take on more active leadership roles. Regardless of region, each country aspires to prepare the future generation to be scientifically literate and globally engaged. Concerning this, there is an increasing need to cultivate a roster of skilled scientists who can navigate complex challenges collaboratively. Thus, diplomacy in this context serves as a mechanism to foster discourse among countries on research and development deemed high cost and risk.
Educational exchanges and training programs can be an effective way to place youth at the center of science diplomacy. Initiatives such as Taiwan's SEASAT and other similar programs offered young scientists and students with opportunities to engage in international research collaborations, internships, and academic exchanges. Existing collaborations, such as Taiwan’s Academia Sinica and the University of the Philippines on biomedical sciences, further enhance the chances for Filipino youth to engage in international internship programs and complement their efforts on critical health issues like diabetes (Ramilo, 2023). Aside from improving their technical skills, these experiences exposed them to various cultural perspectives, which consequently instilled a global mindset and made future cross-border collaboration feasible.
Some exchanges even delve into other fields like agriculture, considered to be directly linked with food security. For instance, the 2023 Taiwan Youth Agricultural Ambassadors (TYAA) program brought 24 agricultural youth envoys to the Philippines (Estareja, 2023). During their visit, the youth from Taiwan and the Philippines shared best practices in agribusiness. In addition, these delegates engaged with officials from the DA and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), providing young Filipinos access to valuable resources and networks (Rocamora, 2023).
The program directly caters to the aspiration of leveraging the youth in revitalizing the agricultural sector. Confronted with an aging farmer population and declining interest in pursuing farming, young Filipinos are expected to take on the new role of sustaining agriculture in the coming years. To fulfill this, the Taiwanese agribusiness students who participated in the program asserted that the youth should have access to technology and innovation to significantly increase yields and boost revenue for their counterparts in the Philippines (Estareja, 2023). The provision of added alternatives and access to new knowledge implies a greater chance for the country to further maximize its domestic programs as these perfectly reinforce the progress on initiatives like providing agri-related starter kits and giving trainings to budding agripreneurs through the Binhi ng Pag-asa Program (BPP). Beneficiaries of Taiwan’s internship program in BPP often become role models during municipal trainings, as observed by resource speakers from FPJ Youth. They frequently succeed in using their starter kits, providing FPJ Youth with additional success stories and cases to feature.
With a rapidly growing youth population and a median age skewed towards young people in countries like the Philippines, youth undeniably remain key drivers of social change, innovation, and economic growth in Asia (Veron, 2024). To realize this potential, science diplomacy that effectively taps into this trend has been enabled through interventions like Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy. It has facilitated collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the development of innovative solutions to global challenges. In essence, shaping the future of Asia hinges on the effectiveness of activating the youth’s capabilities and potential.
Shaping Future Asia through Youth Engagement in STI
Two realities remain in the narrative of shaping the future of Asia: youth will soon be at the forefront of initiating changes, and new social issues will always emerge and attempt to reverse any progress made. Amidst this context, one constant remains key to progress—innovation. On that note, leveraging STI to address these dilemmas emerges as a conspicuous solution that the Indo-Pacific region can tap into.
When countries vulnerable to disasters like Taiwan and the Philippines end up with ravaged agricultural lands, international cooperation remains an accessible avenue to mitigate potential future harms. As long as its youth appreciate the benefits of collaborating through STI, the future of Asia will remain vibrant and prosperous regardless of external influences that might hamper dialogues. The success of overcoming global challenges with urgency superseded any considerations that countries have when engaging with counterparts.
To shape the future effectively, countries should be able to provide more robust mechanisms that would enable international partnerships that integrate youth in science diplomacy. These mechanisms should also be inclusive, and governments can materialize this through investments in affordable yet quality STEM-focused educational platforms to incentivize greater participation even from disenfranchised youth. The premium given to youth engagement and international cooperation would allow future Asia to unlock the potential of its youth for sustainable development and regional progress. Empowering young minds means granting agency to Asia to capitalize on the nexus of innovation and progress despite future challenges and even amidst evolving geopolitical realities.
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References
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Author's Profile
Aldrine holds a bachelor's degree in foreign service from LPU Manila, specializing in Diplomacy. He has worked with various organizations at the national and local levels, including FPJ Youth, and the YWCA Founder's Federation Youth Board. As Director for Policy and Advocacy of FPJ Youth, Aldrine traveled to different provinces across the Philippines to engage youth in agripreneurship, agricultural policies, and digital agrimarketing. His international engagements include representing the Philippines in the JENESYS Golden Friendship Exchange Program, the 47th SSEAYP, and the 2024 SEASAT in Taiwan. Recently, Aldrine completed the ASEFYLS Capacity Building 2024 on achieving an inclusive, ethical, and sustainable Society 5.0.