Despite the rain, the atmosphere remained festive at an evening reception celebrating Taiwan’s 112th National Day. The event, which took place at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, featured a buffet-style spread of Taiwanese and Malaysian dishes, allowing guests to mingle comfortably. Additionally, students performed a choir during the festivities. Phoebe Yeh, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office representative in Kuala Lumpur, expressed her gratitude towards the numerous friends in Malaysia who joined in commemorating her nation’s birthday.
Taiwan’s National Day occurred on October 10. Yeh, who arrived in January, expressed her admiration for Malaysia’s beauty, the hospitality of its people, and the delectable cuisine. She also highlighted the strong bilateral relations between Taiwan and Malaysia, particularly in the areas of trade and investment. As the eighth largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) for Malaysia, Taiwan has contributed over US$14 billion (RM66 billion). Furthermore, bilateral trade between the two countries has experienced significant growth, reaching a milestone of US$36 billion (RM170 billion) in 2022. Yeh emphasized that Taiwan is Malaysia’s fifth largest trading partner.
A choir performing during the 112th National Day of Taiwan in Kuala Lumpur.
Yeh also mentioned that Malaysia contributes significantly to Taiwan’s education landscape, as it is one of the largest sources of foreign students studying in the country. Currently, approximately 13,000 Malaysians pursue their education in Taiwan. In terms of tourism, Yeh highlighted Malaysia as Taiwan’s largest source of tourists among ASEAN countries. The Global Muslim Travel Index also recognized Malaysia as the third most popular tourist destination among non-OIC countries.
