外交部處務規程

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (hereinafter “MOFA”) has formulated these Regulations to specify the functions of its internal departments.

The minister shall manage the affairs of MOFA and shall direct and supervise subordinate agencies and personnel; deputy and vice ministers shall assist the minister in carrying out these responsibilities.

1The general secretary shall have the following responsibilities:

21. Overall review and approval of documents

32. Handle confidential and important documents

43. Coordinate departments and handle questions concerning authority among them

54. Arrange key meetings

65. Handle other matters as assigned

1Counselors shall have the following responsibilities:

21. Conduct research on laws and regulations, and policies and provide suggestions on important projects

32. Attend all manner of important meetings

43. Handle other matters as assigned

1MOFA shall consist of the following Departments:

21. Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, consisting of eight sections

32. Department of West Asian and African Affairs, consisting of seven sections

43. Department of European Affairs, consisting of six sections

54. Department of North American Affairs, consisting of five sections

65. Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, consisting of five sections

76. Department of Treaty and Legal Affairs, consisting of four sections

87. Department of International Organizations, consisting of five sections

98. Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs, consisting of four sections

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1The Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs shall be responsible for the following:

21. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Japan, South Korea, and North Korea

32. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and East Timor

43. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Nauru, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Western Samoa, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, and Palau, as well as other Pacific island nations

54. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, and Maldives as well as the regions of Hong Kong and Macau

65. Handle affairs concerning Asia-Pacific regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents

76. Handle other affairs concerning the Asia-Pacific region

1The Department of West Asian and African Affairs shall be responsible for the following:

21. Handle affairs concerning member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States—Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan—as well as Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Mongolia

32. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen, as well as Palestine

43. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Togo, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as Western Sahara

54. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco

65. Handling affairs concerning the countries of Angola, Botswana, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Somaliland, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as other as-yet not independent areas of Africa

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1The Department of European Affairs shall be responsible for the following:

21. Handle affairs concerning the European Union, Belgium, Luxembourg, and overall relations with Europe, and pan-European international cooperation and exchanges

32. Handle affairs concerning the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the overseas territories and possessions of these countries

43. Handle affairs concerning Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and the overseas territories and possessions of these countries

54. Handle affairs concerning the countries of France, the Holy See, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Monaco, Andorra, Malta, San Marino, and the overseas territories and possessions of these countries, as well as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta

65. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Albania, and Kosovo

76. Handle affairs concerning European regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents

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1The Department of North American Affairs shall be responsible for the following:

21. Handle observation and research of US political affairs, academic affairs, diplomatic immunities and privileges, military affairs (including military technology), and US-China relations

32. Handle local US political affairs, visits, cultural exchanges, business affairs, and general overseas compatriot affairs

43. Handle US economic affairs, finance, mutual legal assistance, agriculture and fishery affairs, health, environmental protection, labor, energy, and general science affairs

54. Handle Canadian political affairs, educational and cultural affairs, business affairs, visits, and general overseas compatriot affairs

65. Handle affairs concerning North American regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents

76. Other affairs concerning North America

1The Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs shall be responsible for the following:

21. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Cuba

32. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay

43. Handle affairs concerning the countries of the Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Haiti, Antigua, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname, French Guiana, and as-yet not independent islands of the Caribbean

54. Handle affairs concerning Latin American and Caribbean regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents

65. Other affairs concerning Latin America and the Caribbean

1The Department of Treaty and Legal Affairs shall be responsible for the following:

21. Plan, negotiate, draft, sign, and interpret treaties and agreements; provide consultations on international legal questions; and store and manage treaties

32. Research cases involving territorial sovereignty, ocean affairs, freedoms of the air, fisheries, human rights, and diplomatic immunity, as well as handle the planning of other legal projects

43. Handle treaties on extradition and mutual legal assistance; domestic and foreign mutual legal assistance; evidence gathering; dispatch of documentation abroad; provision of legal opinions; legal proceedings concerning international affairs; land rights issues abroad; and nationality cases

54. Handle affairs concerning national compensation, appeals, and domestic lawsuits; as well as draft, interpret, and conduct research on laws and regulations

65. Promote participation in meetings on environmental sustainability conventions, as well as research, promote, and implement related policies and plans

76. Other treaty and legal affairs

1The Department of International Organizations shall be responsible for the following:

21. Observe and analyze the work of United Nations organizations; conduct planning; coordination and execution of efforts to promote participation in these organizations

32. Handle participation, observation, and analysis of other international intergovernmental organizations, and multilateral cooperation mechanisms

43. Maintain the nation’s right to participate in and interests concerning international intergovernmental organizations and multilateral mechanisms

54. Other affairs concerning international intergovernmental organizations

1The Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs shall be responsible for the following:

21. Handle affairs concerning the World Trade Organization and related organizations

32. Plan, evaluate, coordinate, oversee, and assess the development of international cooperation affairs

43. Coordinate and communicate about international cooperation financing

54. Coordinate and communicate about foreign economic and trade affairs

65. Other international cooperation and economic affairs

1The Department of International Information Services shall be responsible for the following:

21. Promote, supervise, and evaluate foreign media affairs

32. Promote foreign media exchanges and cooperation

43. Compile and analyze data on international public opinion

54. Produce, distribute, and utilize audiovisual and textual information for international consumption

65. Provide services to foreign media stationed in Taiwan and visiting journalists

76. Other affairs pertaining to international information services

1The Department of Policy Planning shall be responsible for the following:

21. Plan overall foreign policy development

32. Draft, plan, coordinate, and evaluate annual policy directions, midterm and annual policy direction plans, advance planning, and medium and long-term projects

43. Coordinate international strategic security dialogue, defense, military, and China-related affairs; coordinate policies concerning international antiterrorism affairs and related cross-border issues

54. Draft, coordinate, and evaluate cross-unit and multi-area project issues

65. Review organizational structure; propose and coordinate innovative reform

76. Plan, supervise, and evaluate efforts to improve administrative efficiency and public service

87. Collate, plan, and promote public opinion surveys and evaluate related publications

98. Other affairs pertaining to diplomatic policy planning

1The Department of Protocol shall be responsible for the following:

21. Plan, supervise, coordinate, and implement the reception of foreign dignitaries, functions attended by ministers and vice/deputy ministers, high-ranking government officials’ foreign travel, and protocol-related affairs

32. Plan, supervise, coordinate, and implement ceremonies, letters of credence, honorary consulships in Taiwan, decorations, and celebrations and solemn occasions

43. Plan, coordinate, promote, and implement privileges, immunities, and courtesies extended to personnel of foreign institutions in Taiwan

54. Coordinate and communicate where domestic natural disaster prevention and response has an international component

65. Other protocol-related affairs

1The Department of General Affairs shall be responsible for the following:

21. Handle official seals, document distribution, and diplomatic mail

32. Expend and keep custody of funds, distribute salaries, handle purchasing, and manage other affairs

43. Obtain, manage, and allocate MOFA offices, land, and other property; repair offices and dormitories; inspect and approve construction projects; dispatch, replace, and manage official vehicles; and manage and maintain the Taipei Guest House

54. Manage the national property of diplomatic missions; purchase, rent, and repair their facilities and living quarters; and supervise and evaluate the replacement and management of their official vehicles

65. Review, approve, transfer, and review acceptance of purchases; manage property; and inspect construction for items submitted to MOFA in accordance with the law by subordinate agencies

76. Manage support personnel including technicians, drivers, and security

87. Approve purchase of airplane tickets and travel insurance for personnel transfers, foreign business trips, and training

The Department of Personnel shall be responsible for handling MOFA personnel affairs.

The Department of Civil Service Ethics shall be responsible for handling MOFA civil service ethics affairs.

The Department of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics shall be responsible for handling the annual budget, accounting, and statistics.

1The Department of Archives, Information Management, and Telecommunications shall be responsible for the following:

21. Manage MOFA archives; edit, print, and distribute diplomatic records; plan, promote, and supervise archive management for all MOFA subordinate agencies and diplomatic missions

32. Plan, coordinate, promote, and manage strategies for information services for MOFA, its subordinate agencies, and diplomatic missions

43. Plan, promote, and supervise information security for MOFA, its subordinate agencies, and diplomatic missions

54. Handle, manage, and review cables between MOFA and diplomatic missions

65. Plan, establish, conduct security for, and supervise the administration of telecommunications and secure communications equipment

76. Other affairs concerning archives, information, and telecommunications

1Standing task forces may be established by MOFA to meet operational needs. These shall be defined in separate organizational guidelines:

21. Public Diplomacy Coordination Council: handle cross-regional public diplomacy affairs, plan and coordinate soft-power integration and deployment; release press releases; communicate with media organizations; produce and promote diplomatic informational materials and internet promotional materials; and handle translation and interpreting matters; the Council shall be headed by one director general and one deputy director general, positions to be filled by suitable personnel

32. Department of NGO International Affairs: Assist NGOs participation in international activities and exchanges; plan and promote international humanitarian aid; and conduct personnel training for international affairs; the Department shall be headed by one director general and one deputy director general, positions to be filled by suitable personnel

43. Office of Parliamentarian Affairs: Handle communications between MOFA and the Legislative Yuan and Control Yuan and assist with the promotion of parliamentary diplomacy; the Office shall be headed by one director general and one deputy director general, positions to be filled by suitable personnel

A detailed decision-making responsibility table shall govern MOFA operations and hierarchical responsibilities and powers.

1These Regulations shall come into force on September 1, 2012.

2Revisions to these Regulations shall come into force as of the date of their promulgation.