Event introduction:

The Asian Regional Association of Overseas Compatriot Organizations was established at the capital of Thailand in April 1982, and the first annual meeting was held in the city the same 

The intention of its founding was to increase contact with ethnic Chinese in Asia, strengthen mutual help and cooperation and promote their welfare. The annual conference was originally held on an annual basis but has been held every two years since 1988. Overseas compatriot associations in different countries take turns to host the event. Due to fact that the Chinese population in Asia exceeds any other continent, it is vast in area, and the political situation is different in each country, making integration relatively hard, the Asian Regional Association of Overseas Compatriot Organizations was established later than counterparts in Central and South America, Oceania and Europe. Although each conference has been held successfully across Asia, apart from participants of the host countries, the number of participats from other Asian countries has declined year by year, the event failing to achieve the expected effect in terms of increasing contact with overseas compatriot associations in Asia.

Most recent meeting: 

The 2019 Conference for Overseas Compatriots in Asia was held from March 14 to 17 in Taipei with the aims of increasing cohesion with overseas compatriot associations in Asia, enhancing contact with the leaders of overseas compatriot associations in Asia and promoting the New Southbound policy. There were 100 overseas community leaders from 12 countries to attend this conference, namely Japan, South Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos and Indonesia.
In the speech at the opening ceremony, OCAC Minister Wu Hsin-hsing stated that the New Southbound policy is bilateral, not only to encourage Taiwanese enterprises to invest in Southeast Asia, but also to attract foreign investment so Taiwan can capitalize on bilateral and multilateral cooperation in talent, capital, logistics, tourism, and health care.

In order to facilitate regional prosperity and create a new cooperation mode that seeks mutual benefit and win-win situations with the nations of ASEAN, we wish the attendees can assist the government in promoting New Southbound policy.
The agenda includes Introduction of Overseas Compatriot Affairs by OCAC, the Vice Minister Roy Yuan-Rong Leu, Development of Cross-strait Relations by Mainland Affairs Council, the Deputy Minister Chiu, Chui-Cheng, Overseas Compatriot Affairs Forum and Comprehensive Discussion.

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