美國在台協會處長酈英傑接受「日經亞洲」（Nikkei Asia）訪問時說，因應美國學生學習中文的興趣，台灣能扮演關鍵角色，且應利用這個機會來宣傳文化和民主。

過去中國的孔子學院在美國校園提供中文及文化課程，然而因許多大學擔憂中國藉機影響其學術自由，孔子學院正迅速遭到關閉。酈英傑處長表示：「台灣和美國共享對於知識與學術自由的承諾」。去年發起的「台美教育倡議」提供一個框架讓雙方增加教育交流，在華府中止與北京的教育結盟之際，格外具有意義。「台美教育倡議」已擴大雙方教育合作計畫，未來將有更多台灣教師赴美教授中文。

更多新聞: https://www.cna.com.tw/amp/news/aopl/202102020292.aspx
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Education/US-asks-Taiwan-to-fill-void-as-Confucius-Institutes-close

“Taiwan can play a key role in addressing interest among U.S. students in learning Mandarin -- and should use the opportunity to tout its culture and democracy, Brent Christensen, Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, told Nikkei Asia. Taiwan shares the U.S. commitment to intellectual and academic freedom. The U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative, launched last year, provides a framework for the two to increase educational exchanges. ‘Learning Mandarin from Taiwanese teachers means learning Mandarin in an environment free from censorship or coercion,’ Director Christensen said.” Read the full story: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Education/US-asks-Taiwan-to-fill-void-as-Confucius-Institutes-close

✨美國在台協會 (AIT) 及駐美國台北經濟文化代表處 (TECRO) 於本週盛大啟動「美台教育倡議」！

AIT處長酈英傑表示：「『美台教育倡議』的宗旨是要讓更多人有機會接觸到中英文語言教學課程，同時捍衛學術自由。更具體地說，這項倡議將特別凸顯台灣在為美國及世界各地的人們，提供中文教學方面的重要角色，並力求擴大台灣在這方面的影響力。…世界各地的大學都已經關閉了孔子學院，因為它們在中國的審查制度及惡意影響力活動方面，扮演了一定的角色。但是美國及國際學生，對於學習中文，仍然抱有很濃厚的興趣。面對全世界對學習中文的強烈興趣，台灣可以、而且也應該扮演重要角色。」

本週的「美台教育倡議」邀請了美國國務院、美國教育部代表及台灣相關部會代表共同參與線上對話，討論如何擴展中英文教學的合作，線上對話成果豐碩。隨後雙邊也簽署了一份合作備忘錄，詳列美台在教育合作上的共同目標。

✅處長致詞稿: https://bit.ly/37vyHGt
✅新聞稿: https://bit.ly/3lwSg6l
✅備忘錄: https://bit.ly/39Crs2c
✅背景資料: https://bit.ly/2KWUwqR

✨This week, AIT and TECRO launched the U.S.-Taiwan Education Initiative!

As AIT Director Christensen explained: “The Initiative is aimed at expanding access to Chinese and English language instruction, while safeguarding academic freedom. Specifically, the Initiative will highlight and enhance Taiwan’s role in providing Chinese language instruction to Americans and to people around the world. …Universities around the world have been closing Confucius Institutes because of their role in censorship and malign influence campaigns by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). However, interest in Chinese language learning remains strong among American and international students. Taiwan can and should play a key role in addressing that interest.”

This week’s launch included a virtual dialogue by representatives from the U.S. Departments of State and Education and their Taiwan counterparts to discuss ways to expand cooperation on Chinese and English language instruction. It also included the signing of an MOU laying out our shared goals in this area.

✅Director’s remarks: https://bit.ly/3lzYfrh
✅Press release: https://bit.ly/36z7qUx
✅MOU: https://bit.ly/39Crs2c
✅Fact sheet: https://bit.ly/2KWUwqR

「張彭春和胡適都知道『中國人不適合民主 』不過是一派胡言，是最不愛國的論調，今天的台灣就是鮮活的證據。」---白宮副國家安全顧問博明參與維吉尼亞大學線上演講，發表了一篇題為《一個美國視角下的中國「五四」精神》的演說。博明以流利的中文講述五四運動的歷史及核心精神，並談到台灣的民主、中國鎮壓自由言論，以及勇敢示警新冠病毒的英雄們。

“The cliché that Chinese people can’t be trusted with democracy was, as both P.C. Chang and Hu Shih knew, the most unpatriotic idea of all. Taiwan today is a living repudiation of that threadbare mistruth.” --- Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger’s speech to the University of Virginia entitled “Reflections on China’s May Fourth Movement: An American Perspective.” Pottinger spoke in Mandarin about the history and legacy of the May 4th movement, addressing Taiwan’s democracy, the PRC’s crackdown on free expression, and the heroism of those fighting the spread of COVID-19.