Taiwan, partners mark 10th anniversary of GCTF, pledge more collaboration

Taipei, May 27 (CNA) Taiwan and four of its partner countries on Tuesday marked the 10th anniversary of a joint initiative designed to strengthen multilateral cooperation and facilitate Taiwan's contributions on global issues.

In a joint statement, Taiwan and the representative offices of the United States, Japan, Australia and Canada marked the "milestone" establishment of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) a decade ago.

"At a time when Taiwan's international participation remains constrained, the GCTF remains a vital platform for sharing Taiwan's expertise, strengthening likeminded cooperation and forging new partnerships to address common challenges," the joint statement said.

The statement reaffirmed the commitment of Taiwan and the four countries to the GCTF and pledged to "strengthen our partnership and expand the impact of the GCTF over the next decade."

In particular, the group said it would work to strengthen engagement through longer-term programs and exchanges with its growing network and welcome additional partners, co-hosts and participants.

"We look forward to maintaining and expanding this partnership in ways that benefit people around the world and contribute to a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future for all," the statement added.

The group will also seek to establish additional formal cooperation mechanisms to enhance coordination among GCTF partners, the statement said, although no further details were provided.

The GCTF was launched in 2015 by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States and the American Institute in Taiwan as a platform allowing Taiwan to share its expertise on and contribute to global issues alongside partners.

Japan, Australia and Canada joined the GCTF as full partners in 2019, 2021, and 2024, respectively.

According to the statement, more than 87 workshops have been held under the GCTF banner since its establishment, involving over 10,000 government officials and experts from 133 countries.

The workshops have addressed a range of topics, including efforts to counter disinformation, strengthen public health responses, and improve cross-border law enforcement cooperation.