Romantic Taiwan Third Line Tourism – The Hakka Affairs Council Aims to Boost Visitors by 2 Million

The Hakka Affairs Council today outlined its policy outlook for the new year. The government has designated Hakka as a national language and will encourage public service units in Hakka-speaking regions to use Hakka as much as possible in their services, thereby creating an environment where Hakka is actively used. Additionally, promotional efforts will be carried out in Japan and Southeast Asia to invite tourists from those regions to visit the Taiwan Third Line. It is estimated that the overall number of visitors to the Taiwan Third Line could increase by another 2 million this year, with Japanese tourists alone reaching 30,000.

Hakka Affairs Council Minister Lee Yong-de said that in the past, many people believed that Mandarin was Chinese, while other languages were considered dialects. These other languages were not spoken in schools, their use in public settings was limited, and they were rarely seen in the media. However, the "Hakka Basic Act," passed by the Legislative Yuan at the end of last year, declares Hakka as one of the national languages. This move allows the Hakka community to take pride in their own language and affirms and recognizes Hakka culture.

Lee pointed out that starting this year, the Hakka Affairs Council will promote Hakka as a common language. In areas with a high concentration of Hakka communities, such as Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli, local government agencies will be encouraged to provide services in Hakka, creating a living environment where Hakka is used. Civil servants who do not currently speak Hakka are also encouraged to learn it, especially since their primary service recipients are fellow Hakka people.

Lee added that in terms of school education, the Hakka Affairs Council will also promote immersive mother-tongue teaching in elementary schools in Hakka-speaking regions. Both teachers and students will be able to use Hakka during teaching and interactions, fostering a sense of value for the language. The goal is for Hakka children to learn Mandarin and English through Hakka, rather than learning Hakka through Mandarin.

Lee said that some members of the Legislative Yuan have asked which three lines the “Romantic Taiwan Third Line” refers to, but it is actually a single highway that runs through Hakka-inhabited regions. Regarding tourism promotion along the Taiwan Third Line, the Hakka Affairs Council last year invited Japanese travel agencies to visit Taiwan. These agencies are expected to help promote Taiwan Third Line tours after returning to Japan. During the Tung Blossom Season in April and May this year, it is optimistically estimated that the number of Japanese tourists visiting the Taiwan Third Line could increase by 30,000.

Lee noted that this year, the Hakka Affairs Council will also participate in the Singapore Travel Fair to attract tourists from Southeast Asia to visit the Taiwan Third Line. In fact, there are also many people of Hakka descent in Southeast Asia whose ancestors immigrated there several generations ago. In addition to encouraging local Hakka people to visit Taiwan to experience Hakka culture, the council also hopes to leverage their personal networks to promote travel to the Taiwan Third Line among friends in Southeast Asia. With both domestic and international visitors, the Taiwan Third Line aims to welcome an additional 2 million visitors this year.

Lee stated that the Hakka radio station “Hakka Radio” began broadcasting in June last year. This political promise was first proposed by former President Chen Shui-bian before 2000, but it could not be fulfilled due to the lack of a dedicated broadcast channel. During former President Ma Ying-jeou’s term, the channel was still unavailable, preventing the launch. Now, after President Tsai Ing-wen took office, the channel was reclaimed from CTS and allocated to the Hakka radio station. After three presidencies, Hakka Radio has finally launched, marking a milestone in the Hakka cultural renaissance.