Taiwan: Radio station launches multilingual programs for new immigrants

Taipei, Jan. 10 (CNA) Radio Taiwan International (RTI) launched two multilingual radio programs Thursday to provide daily news and information to new immigrants in Taiwan. The programs are available in Chinese, English, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese through a collaboration between RTI and National Education Radio FM. One of the programs broadcasts news and immigrant-related information daily, while the other, aired every Tuesday and Thursday, discusses cultural topics and social welfare policies related to new immigrants, RTI said. Hsieh Li-kung, director-general of the National Immigration Agency, which commissioned the programs, said he hopes they will narrow the information gap for new immigrants and inform them in a timely manner about new government regulations and measures. He also expressed hope that the programs will not only reach the 1 million foreign spouses, laborers and professionals in Taiwan, but will also help Taiwanese audiences better understand new immigrants. Hsieh said he hopes that "Taiwanese will also listen carefully to and understand" the needs of the foreign community. Taiwan has around 470,000 foreign spouses, most of whom come from China, as well as some 440,000 foreign workers, most of whom are from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

(Source :  By Christie Chen via Taiwan News)