By Teng Pei-ju
TAIPEI, Taiwan, (CNA) – Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Wednesday announced that it has begun work on opening a representative office in Mumbai, India.
In a press statement, the ministry said preparations to establish a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Mumbai were underway as part of government efforts to facilitate bilateral exchanges in the areas of technology, culture and education.
MOFA did not disclose when the office would open, stating only that it would provide consular, emergency, and other services in Mumbai and neighbouring states, such as Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh.
According to the ministry, the planned office will be its first overseas outpost in India since the opening of a representative office in Chennai in 2012. Taiwan’s main representative office in India is in the country’s capital, New Delhi.
Taiwan and India have developed close cooperation in trade, economics, technology, supply chains, and public health, among other fields, the ministry said, adding that the opening of a new office in Mumbai – India’s biggest city and financial hub – would further create more opportunities for bilateral trade and investment.