SIR PHILIP GOODHART, M.P.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SWIA OAA
CUTTING THE RIBBON AT THE ANGLO-TAIWAN EDUCATIONAL CENTRE.
The formal launch of the Anglo-Taiwan Educational Centre on April 27th was a great success. The Minister of Education cut the ribbon with me and made
nice speech. There were several university Presidents in the distinguished audience. On the day before the opening, the Minister of Education also gave a large, formal banquet for me.
There can be absolutely no doubt about the enthusiasm of the senior officials and academics in Taipei for increasing the flow of Taiwanese graduates to this country.
In part, of course, this stems from a perception that they are over-committed to the United States. After all, the whole concept of our Centre really grew out of the 1986 statistics which showed that 7,016 Taiwanese graduates went overseas to study. No less than 6,499
of these graduates went to American institutions, while a mere 36 came here. This lack of balance has been compounded by the fact that so many of the Taiwanese students who go to America do not return. This year 70% of those who have completed their studies in America will be staying on. Even this figure is an improvement. The Taiwanese authorities frankly acknowledge that the comparative rigidity of Britain's immigration rules are a positive bonus as far as they are concerned. They want to see their graduates come back to them.
Secondly, there can be no doubt that the Taiwanese authorities are concerned about the implications of 1992 and a unified EEC. Because of the quality and quantity of English teaching in the best Taiwanese schools, we are the only member of the EEC that
that is linguistically accessible to most Taiwanese. Taiwanese organisations, therefore, are going to be increasingly interested in recruiting young men and Women with British experience and British qualifications.
Thirdly, I think that the senior people in Taipei have been favourably impressed by the efforts that we are clearly making to help ourselves. Twelve months ago, our physical presence in Taipei must have struck the casual visitor as being shabby and run-down. Our new offices look spick and span and businesslike. There has been an extraordinary transformation. Even the new visa office seems positively welcoming.
Peter Godwin, David Pointon and the Committee are to be congratulated, while David Warner's work in creating the ATEC has obviously been outstanding. Helena Zak and her capable young team are beginning their missionary work at the ATEC in a much better physical and political environment than seemed possible a year ago.
Page 75Page 76