On 17 March at the 2026 Yushan Forum, Asia Centre’s Regional Director, Dr. James Gomez expounded on the concept of “civic power” (view the TikTok video) as the critical voice of civil society that speaks out when democratic processes are challenged during Session VII: NGO Corridor-Mobilizing Civic Power to Connect Free Societies.
He further elaborated that civil society has a central role as the “heartbeat of democracy” and serves as an important barometer of democratic resilience. Hence, from the Asia Centre’s perspective, there is a need to strengthen regional networks and support civil society organisations (CSOs) as key actors in advancing accountability, cooperation, and democratic engagement across the region.
At that session, Dr. Gomez also welcomed Taiwan’s efforts to establish the INGO Hub announced by Charlie Chiang, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MOFA) Department of NGO International Affairs, at the start of Session VII. This development builds on discussions from the 2025 Yushan Forum, where Taiwan introduced plans to strengthen its role as a hub for international NGOs. In this context, Dr. Gomez underscored the importance of Taiwan focusing on Asia to strengthen its Indo-Pacific partnerships through collaboration with civil society organisations based in the region.
As a CSO stakeholder, from 16-17 March 2026, Asia Centre participated in the 2026 Yushan Forum, in Taipei, Taiwan, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ and the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF). The ninth edition of the forum brought together thought leaders from 22 countries, focusing on Indo-Pacific cooperation, regional partnerships, and technological innovation.
Representing the Asia Centre were Dr. James Gomez, Regional Director, and Kartini Sunityo, Partnerships Manager, marking the second consecutive year Asia Centre has been invited to contribute to the Forum. Asia Centre’s participation at the 2026 Yushan Forum builds on its engagement in 2025.
During the 2025 Yushan Forum, Asia Centre contributed to the Think-Tank Forum–Building an NSP+ Think-Tank Corridor, where Dr. James Gomez delivered remarks on strengthening regional cooperation through a non-statist approach. He recommended that TAEF engage more actively with independent think-tanks and civil society organizations working on democracy and human rights, emphasising the importance of partnering with actors that share democratic values.
Asia Centre also circulated a position paper supporting Taiwan’s initiative to establish an INGO Hub and expressed its willingness to explore the establishment of a liaison office to help connect Taiwan-based stakeholders with regional networks across Asia-Pacific.
At the 2025 Yushan Forum, the Centre signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation to strengthen collaboration between think-tanks and civil society organisations.
The 2026 Yushan Forum provided a platform to advance dialogue on democratic resilience, regional cooperation, and multi-stakeholder partnerships across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
The Centre’s continued engagement at the Yushan Forum reflects its growing role in regional dialogue and its commitment to advancing democratic cooperation, civil society engagement, and partnerships across Asia.
