Taiwan

Last Updated: 19 September 2012

Support for Mine Action

National funding

For the first time, Taiwan reported the cost of its demining operations. In 2007–2011, it provided the equivalent of US$30 million to clear mines on its border with China. The $9.5 million the government of Taiwan provided for its own mine clearance operations is one of the highest national contributions for 2011.[1]

Summary of national contributions: 2007–2011[2]

Year	Amount (NTD)	Amount ($)
2011	280,456,728	9,545,188
2010	186,850,112	5,932,315
2009	159,765,000	4,838,431
2008	110,406,000	3,502,617
2007	203,112,000	6,182,637
Totals	940,589,840	30,001,188

International funding

In 2010, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided $200,000 for a two-year project with the American NGO “The Humpty Dumpty Institute” (HDI) in partnership with Project Renew to clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) and reduce poverty in Quang Tri province in Vietnam. The project benefits people with disabilities who earn income from growing and selling mushrooms. Profits earned from mushroom farming are used to support UXO clearance.[3]

Summary of international contributions: 2010–2011[4]

Year	Amount ($)
2011	100,000
2010	100,000
Total	200,000

[1] Other countries with national contributions of US$10 million or more in 2011 are Angola, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, and Croatia. Chile, which has a smaller mine action program, contributed $4.56 million, representing 100% of the cost of operations in 2011.

[2] Telephone interview with Lt.-Col. Ou Bing-Zhe, Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Operations and Planning, Ministry of National Defense, 26 March 2012. Average exchange rate for 2011: TWD29.3820 = US$1; for 2010: TWD31.4970 = US$1; for 2009: TWD33.02 = US$1; for 2008: TWD31.521 and for 2007: TWD32.852 = US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2012.

[3] Telephone interview with Cheng Xiang-Yun, Vice Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Hanoi, Vietnam, 20 March 2012; and Project Renew, “Mushrooms With a Mission,” undated.

[4] Letter from Yang Chin-Tien, Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 9 March 2012.