Regulations Governing the Administrative Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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.

The general secretary shall have the following responsibilities:1. Overall review and approval of documents2. Handle confidential and important documents3. Coordinate departments and handle questions concerning authority among them4. Arrange key meetings5. Handle other matters as assigned

Counselors shall have the following responsibilities:1. Conduct research on laws and regulations, and policies and provide suggestions on important projects2. Attend all manner of important meetings3. Handle other matters as assigned

MOFA shall consist of the following Departments:1. Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, consisting of eight sections2. Department of West Asian and African Affairs, consisting of seven sections3. Department of European Affairs, consisting of six sections4. Department of North American Affairs, consisting of five sections5. Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, consisting of five sections6. Department of Treaty and Legal Affairs, consisting of four sections7. Department of International Organizations, consisting of five sections8. Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs, consisting of four sections9. Department of International Information Services, consisting of eight sections10. Department of Policy Planning, consisting of four sections11. Department of Protocol, consisting of three sections12. Department of General Affairs, consisting of six sections13. Department of Personnel, consisting of three sections. Depending on actual needs, two extra sections may be allocated to the Department of Personnel under the quota of sections assigned to MOFA so as to provide support.14. Department of Civil Service Ethics. Depending on actual needs, two extra sections may be allocated to the Department of Civil Service Ethics under the quota of sections assigned to MOFA so as to provide support.15. Department of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics, consisting of five sections16. Department of Archives, Information Management, and Telecommunications, consisting of five sections

The Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs shall be responsible for the following:1. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Japan, South Korea, and North Korea2. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and East Timor3. 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 nations4. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, and Maldives as well as the regions of Hong Kong and Macau5. Handle affairs concerning Asia-Pacific regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents6. Handle other affairs concerning the Asia-Pacific region

The Department of West Asian and African Affairs shall be responsible for the following:1. 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 Mongolia2. 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 Palestine3. 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 Sahara4. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco5. 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 Africa6. Handle affairs concerning West Asian and African regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents7. Other affairs concerning the West Asian and African regions

The Department of European Affairs shall be responsible for the following:1. Handle affairs concerning the European Union, Belgium, Luxembourg, and overall relations with Europe, and pan-European international cooperation and exchanges2. Handle affairs concerning the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the overseas territories and possessions of these countries3. Handle affairs concerning Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and the overseas territories and possessions of these countries4. 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 Malta5. 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 Kosovo6. Handle affairs concerning European regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents7. Other affairs concerning Europe

The Department of North American Affairs shall be responsible for the following:1. Handle observation and research of US political affairs, academic affairs, diplomatic immunities and privileges, military affairs (including military technology), and US-China relations2. Handle local US political affairs, visits, cultural exchanges, business affairs, and general overseas compatriot affairs3. Handle US economic affairs, finance, mutual legal assistance, agriculture and fishery affairs, health, environmental protection, labor, energy, and general science affairs4. Handle Canadian political affairs, educational and cultural affairs, business affairs, visits, and general overseas compatriot affairs5. Handle affairs concerning North American regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents6. Other affairs concerning North America

The Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs shall be responsible for the following:1. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Cuba2. Handle affairs concerning the countries of Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay3. 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 Caribbean4. Handle affairs concerning Latin American and Caribbean regional organizations, economic and technical cooperation, and fishing vessel incidents5. Other affairs concerning Latin America and the Caribbean

The Department of Treaty and Legal Affairs shall be responsible for the following:1. Plan, negotiate, draft, sign, and interpret treaties and agreements; provide consultations on international legal questions; and store and manage treaties2. 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 projects3. 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 cases4. Handle affairs concerning national compensation, appeals, and domestic lawsuits; as well as draft, interpret, and conduct research on laws and regulations5. Promote participation in meetings on environmental sustainability conventions, as well as research, promote, and implement related policies and plans6. Other treaty and legal affairs

The Department of International Organizations shall be responsible for the following:1. Observe and analyze the work of United Nations organizations; conduct planning; coordination and execution of efforts to promote participation in these organizations2. Handle participation, observation, and analysis of other international intergovernmental organizations, and multilateral cooperation mechanisms3. Maintain the nation’s right to participate in and interests concerning international intergovernmental organizations and multilateral mechanisms4. Other affairs concerning international intergovernmental organizations

The Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs shall be responsible for the following:1. Handle affairs concerning the World Trade Organization and related organizations2. Plan, evaluate, coordinate, oversee, and assess the development of international cooperation affairs3. Coordinate and communicate about international cooperation financing4. Coordinate and communicate about foreign economic and trade affairs5. Other international cooperation and economic affairs

The Department of International Information Services shall be responsible for the following:1. Promote, supervise, and evaluate foreign media affairs2. Promote foreign media exchanges and cooperation3. Compile and analyze data on international public opinion4. Produce, distribute, and utilize audiovisual and textual information for international consumption5. Provide services to foreign media stationed in Taiwan and visiting journalists6. Other affairs pertaining to international information services

The Department of Policy Planning shall be responsible for the following:1. Plan overall foreign policy development2. Draft, plan, coordinate, and evaluate annual policy directions, midterm and annual policy direction plans, advance planning, and medium and long-term projects3. Coordinate international strategic security dialogue, defense, military, and China-related affairs; coordinate policies concerning international antiterrorism affairs and related cross-border issues4. Draft, coordinate, and evaluate cross-unit and multi-area project issues5. Review organizational structure; propose and coordinate innovative reform6. Plan, supervise, and evaluate efforts to improve administrative efficiency and public service7. Collate, plan, and promote public opinion surveys and evaluate related publications8. Other affairs pertaining to diplomatic policy planning

The Department of Protocol shall be responsible for the following:1. 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 affairs2. Plan, supervise, coordinate, and implement ceremonies, letters of credence, honorary consulships in Taiwan, decorations, and celebrations and solemn occasions3. Plan, coordinate, promote, and implement privileges, immunities, and courtesies extended to personnel of foreign institutions in Taiwan4. Coordinate and communicate where domestic natural disaster prevention and response has an international component5. Other protocol-related affairs

The Department of General Affairs shall be responsible for the following:1. Handle official seals, document distribution, and diplomatic mail2. Expend and keep custody of funds, distribute salaries, handle purchasing, and manage other affairs3. 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 House4. 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 vehicles5. 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 agencies6. Manage support personnel including technicians, drivers, and security7. Approve purchase of airplane tickets and travel insurance for personnel transfers, foreign business trips, and training8. Communicate about MOFA disaster prevention efforts and safety measures9. Other affairs that are not the responsibility of any other department

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.

The Department of Archives, Information Management, and Telecommunications shall be responsible for the following:1. Manage MOFA archives; edit, print, and distribute diplomatic records; plan, promote, and supervise archive management for all MOFA subordinate agencies and diplomatic missions2. Plan, coordinate, promote, and manage strategies for information services for MOFA, its subordinate agencies, and diplomatic missions3. Plan, promote, and supervise information security for MOFA, its subordinate agencies, and diplomatic missions4. Handle, manage, and review cables between MOFA and diplomatic missions5. Plan, establish, conduct security for, and supervise the administration of telecommunications and secure communications equipment6. Other affairs concerning archives, information, and telecommunications

Standing task forces may be established by MOFA to meet operational needs. These shall be defined in separate organizational guidelines:1. 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 personnel2. 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 personnel3. 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.

These Regulations shall come into force on September 1, 2012.Revisions to these Regulations shall come into force as of the date of their promulgation.