The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the National Central Library (NCL) co-hosted the "2025 MOFA Taiwan Fellowship Presentation" on December 17, 2025, in the NCL Briefing Room. The theme of the event was “Crossing the Indo-Pacific, Linking the World.” The event brought together nine fellowship scholars from Europe and the Asia-Pacific region to present their Taiwan-based research and engage in in-depth discussion with Taiwanese academics. The opening session was co-chaired by Minister Kuo-Ting Tan (Department of Policy Planning, MOFA) and Director General Han-Ching Wang (National Central Library).
The program featured three panels focusing on Indo-Pacific Strategy, Security, and Foreign Policy Narratives; Religion, Identity, and City Diplomacy; and New Southbound Policy, Mobility, and Digital Influence.
The first panel, “Indo-Pacific Strategy, Security, and Foreign Policy Narratives,” included presentations by Moreno Bertoldi (Associate Researcher, Italian Institute for International Political Studies) on “The EU Economic Security Strategy Applied to Developments in the Taiwan Strait,” Jeremy Moses (Associate Professor, University of Canterbury, New Zealand) on “Exploring Anti-War Activism in Taiwan,” and Clara Galzerano (Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Trento, Italy) on “Rethinking Cold War Diplomacy through Media: The CNA and Taiwanese Foreign Policy in Western Europe (1950–1987).” The session was moderated by Yujen Kuo (Professor, Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies, National Sun Yat-sen University) and was followed by a lively discussion.
The second panel, “Religion, Identity, and City Diplomacy,” featured an online presentation by Oded Abt (Assistant Professor, Tel Hai Academic College, Israel) titled “Evolving Identities and Cross-Strait Allegiances: Taiwan, China, and the Philippine Muslim Five Surname Association,” a talk by Sergio (Ignazio) De Francesco (Independent Scholar) on “Meeting on the Great Border: Confucianism, Islam and Christianity on Funerals rites,” and a presentation by Michael Tumanut (Associate Professor, National College of Public Administration & Governance, University of the Philippines) titled “Mapping Taiwan-Philippines Sister-City Relations: Drivers, Dynamics, and Governance Implications.” The session was moderated by Meng-Hsuan Yang (Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Missouri–Columbia) and concluded with an interactive discussion.
The third panel, “New Southbound Policy, Mobility, and Digital Influence,” was moderated by Jenn-Jaw Soong (Professor, Department of Political Science, National Cheng Kung University). Speakers included Pooran Chandra Pandey (Professor, South Asian University, India) presenting “Labour Mobility Pact, 2024 Between Taipei and New Delhi: Potential of Indian Diaspora as a Catalyst for Comprehensive Cooperation in the Region,” Nguyen Thi Phi Nga (Professor, CMC University, Vietnam) on “Impact of Short Video on the Purchasing Behavior of Young Consumers in Taipei,” and Pham Thu Huong (Associate Professor, Foreign Trade University, Vietnam) on “Research on the factors influencing Vietnamese students’ decision to stay in Taiwan after graduation within the context of New Southbound Policy.” The session also prompted active exchanges among participants.
Approximately 60 participants attended the event, including fellowship scholars and Taiwanese academics. Research topics spanned diplomacy, security, religion, city diplomacy and governance, labor mobility, and digital influence, generating dynamic exchanges throughout the day. A Farewell Party was held during the midday break, providing a warm and informal setting for participants to share reflections on their research experience in Taiwan and to strengthen scholarly connections.
