On August 12, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) organized an inter-ministerial mobile service event, with Deputy Director Lin Hong-en leading a team from the Mainland Affairs Council, Hong Kong, and Macao Affairs Office, and the Straits Exchange Foundation to visit new immigrants and immigrant groups in Keelung City. The event included a forum to listen to the voices of new immigrants, demonstrating the government's care and support for them.
The first stop of the mobile service train was at the Keelung City Multicultural Development Association, established in June this year. The association's members come from China, the United States, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Thailand, aiming to help new immigrants integrate into Taiwanese society, promote multicultural exchange, foster cross-border connections, and provide employment counseling. Association Chairperson Zhao Yu-zhen and members actively participated in local activities and discussed issues such as life adaptation, employment, and children's education with Deputy Director Lin during the forum.
Wu Pei-ling, a new immigrant from Thailand who has lived in Taiwan for 27 years, has long promoted Thai language education and culture. Through the "Tai Shang Dance Arts Dream" project, she received funding from the NIA's 10th New Immigrant Dream Building Program. On this day, she and her team presented a wonderful traditional Thai dance performance and guests to experience traditional Thai clothing, creating a rich Thai cultural atmosphere.
Deputy Director of the National Immigration Agency, Lin Hong-en (back row, third from the left), along with personnel from the Mainland Affairs Council and the Straits Exchange Foundation, experience traditional Thai clothing (Photo / Courtesy of the National Immigration Agency website)
The highlight of the event was a handmade soap-making session led by Mrs. Lin Juan from China, where Deputy Director Lin and others learned the process. Mrs. Lin emphasized the benefits of natural ingredients in handmade soap for the skin and provided hands-on demonstrations that left participants with a rewarding experience.
Ms. Lin Juan (first from the right) teaches Deputy Director of the National Immigration Agency, Lin Hong-en (second from the right), Northern District Affairs Brigade Captain Wu Jia-hong (first from the left), and Mainland Affairs Council Section Chief Li Pei-ru (middle) - Li Jin-mei (second from the left) how to make handmade soap (Photo / Courtesy of the National Immigration Agency website)
Deputy Director Lin stated that Keelung City has historically been a hub for foreigners due to its trade connections and now has the second-highest proportion of new immigrants in the country, showcasing Keelung as an immigrant-friendly city with a rich multicultural heritage. He emphasized that the NIA will continue to promote friendly policies for new immigrants and, through communication with them, better understand their needs, striving to create a welcoming and diverse immigration environment.
