Taiwan
Taiwan, also known as Formosa in the Western world, is an island located in East Asia, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, between the Ryukyu Islands and the Philippine Islands, with an area of approximately 36,000 square kilometers. According to a 2019 survey by Academia Sinica in Taiwan, Han Chinese are the largest ethnic group in Taiwan, accounting for 96.42% of the total population, mainly composed of Hoklo and Hakka people. Another 2.48% consists of 16 indigenous Taiwanese tribes, and the remaining 1.10% includes ethnic minorities from mainland China, people from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and foreign nationals. According to statistics from the Ministry of the Interior in 2022, there are 22 major religious categories in Taiwan. According to the U.S. “Religion and Public Life Project Report,” folk religion accounts for approximately 45% of the population in Taiwan, with Buddhism ranking second at 21%, other religions and independent religions accounting for approximately 13% to 16%, and Christianity accounting for approximately 6%. Statistics from the Ministry of the Interior in 2013 show that there are over 15,000 registered religious buildings (temples, shrines, palaces, and halls) in Taiwan, averaging 6.5 buildings per 10,000 people, the highest in the world.
The Needs of International Students
Due to the government’s New Southbound Policy, the number of international students in Taiwanese universities and colleges has grown rapidly, from 57,000 in the 2011 academic year to 128,000 in the 2019 academic year. They mainly come from Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries, and most are from countries where the Gospel has not yet reached them. Their study periods in Taiwan range from six months to six years, primarily pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. God has brought these people from countries with limited access to the Gospel to study in religiously free Taiwan, giving them the opportunity to learn about the Christian faith.
These international students scattered throughout Taiwan generally only learn basic Chinese and Mandarin, communicating mostly in English. Due to the language barrier, unless they are studying at institutions in Taipei, few churches or organizations share good news with these international students. The association’s staff are currently at a university in Taiwan. Through language learning and various evangelistic, discipleship, and gospel outreach activities, they hope to share the gospel with international students, enabling them to come to know the one true God, keep Christ and faith in their lives, and to bring the gospel back to their families, their countries, and those around them.
