Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Taipei, 27 October 2021. File photo, not the forum. Jirka Matousek; cropped and slightly rotated by Yu tptw / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0. AHR has not further altered the source file; display may crop.
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Taiwan will continue exchanges with ASEAN and South Asian countries while respecting each partner’s priorities, Deputy Foreign Minister Ming-chi Chen said on October 1. He identified maritime information sharing, protection of critical infrastructure and disaster preparedness as practical areas for cooperation. The remarks set out a diplomatic approach, rather than announcing a new regional agreement.
Chen spoke at a forum on island chains and supply chains in the Indo-Pacific. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ event announcement confirms that it took place on Thursday, October 1, 2026, and included a session on Taiwan’s cooperation with ASEAN and South Asia.
Connecting security and economic ties
According to Radio Taiwan International’s report, republished by Yahoo, Chen discussed Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung’s three strategic chains: the Indo-Pacific first island chain, a supply chain less dependent on China, and partnerships based on democratic values.
The first island chain refers to the arc of islands running through Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. The “non-red supply chain” is a Taiwanese policy term for reducing reliance on China-linked production networks. These are policy concepts, not the names of a single treaty or an already established alliance.
Chen argued that military pressure can disrupt commerce, while concentrated economic dependence can narrow political choices. Safer sea routes, diversified suppliers and public trust, he said, can reinforce one another. He presented Taiwan’s technology capabilities and democratic experience as contributions it could offer regional partners.
Respecting partners’ choices
Chen’s emphasis was on cooperation shaped by individual countries’ circumstances. Maritime information, infrastructure protection and disaster preparation provide areas where shared practical needs may support further work.
His remarks did not establish a delivery timetable or a new binding arrangement with ASEAN or South Asian governments. The next step to watch is whether the stated priorities produce identifiable projects and participation by partners.
Editorial note
By Wang Jun. This AHR edition is edited from the author’s original article. The speaker’s name has been corrected from “Daniel Ching” to Ming-chi Chen, and the weekday from Wednesday to Thursday. AHR added source links, explanations of policy terms and a licensed file photograph; the original author’s attribution is retained.