In Focus: Taiwan Develops Ties with World’s Next Most Populous Nation
India’s population is projected to overtake China in 2023 to become the world’s most populous nation. As countries around the world face a declining birth rate, Taiwan continues to find solutions in expanding outwards while decoupling from the Chinese market. Chipmakers from Hon Hai to TSMC are rapidly expanding their Indian manufacturing of electric vehicles, ICTs, and panels along with other tech products. Taiwan Talks takes a deep dive at what is behind this steep investment push and why South Korean, Japanese, and U.S. companies are rushing to India. We also look at how Taiwan squeezes in between ongoing India-China tensions and the implications of its Quad membership as India boosts military cooperation with the U.S. and its allies. In this episode, Albert Chiu, Tunghai University Political Science Professor, and Sana Hashmi, India native Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, discuss the ‘India Century,’ with its ever growing economic and strategic might and what it’s refusal ‘to use Taiwan as a card on China’ means for its regional democratic partner. We also hear from Alan Hao Yang, National Chengchi University Center for Southeast Asian Studies and Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation Executive Director, on Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy and thriving Taiwan-India ties, and Jay Batongbacal, University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea Director, on warming ties with Taiwan and how U.S. ties with his country are growing despite Philippine President Marcos Jr.’s recent visit to Beijing. Topics discussed: - Thriving Taiwan-India ties: How the Taiwan government and Taiwanese businesses can keep up the momentum - World’s next most populous nation: Will ties between India and China change as it overtakes China in becoming the world’s most populous nation and the ongoing border and trade disputes? - Are demographics everything: Will India have more leverage on the world stage and global economy given its population advantage? - Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy: How Taiwan is reducing economic reliance on China by rapidly expanding into the IT talent rich country - India investment boom: Advantages in doing business in the world’s largest economy - Why India is vital for Taiwanese outward expansion - Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy: Exports to 18 New Southbound countries exceeded US$97 billion, equivalent to half of exports to China - Taiwan’s fledging green energy and electric vehicle business: Becoming Thailand’s top foreign investor - Countering Chinese aggression: How India is reducing the risk of economic cohesion from China and investing in other markets in the region - U.S.-Philippine security cooperation: Taiwan contingency a vital part of joint defense strategy - Growing ties between Taiwan and the Philippines - Quad: India’s role in the U.S.-led security framework and how Taiwan is increasingly becoming a focus - Indian foreign policy: Avoiding ‘using Taiwan as a card against China’
