Taipei: Taiwan’s government has announced plans to open government-funded Mandarin teaching centers in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand by 2026, with further expansions into Latin America anticipated in the following years. This initiative was disclosed by a senior official overseeing the program on Wednesday.

According to Focus Taiwan, the announcement came during a legislative session where Hsu Chia-ching, the chief of the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), was questioned about the council’s proposed 2026 budget. The Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning (TCML) program, which Hsu oversees, currently operates 88 centers worldwide, with 68 located in the United States and 20 spread across 12 European countries. The OCAC aims to extend its reach into the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America from 2026 to 2029 to enhance its global presence.

Hsu detailed plans to establish two TCMLs in Japan, one in New Zealand, and four in Australia by 2026. The TCML program, initiated in June 2021, aims to create overseas bases for teaching Mandarin “with Taiwanese characteristics.” This approach emphasizes the use of traditional Chinese characters rather than the simplified characters used in China and targets individuals aged over 18.

To support the program, teaching materials have been developed in multiple languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Indonesian, and Vietnamese. The centers aim to promote Mandarin learning and cultural exchanges, fostering deeper relationships between Taiwan and the host countries through courses and cultural activities, as stated by the OCAC.