TAIWAN’S top diplomat in Scotland has again called on the Scottish Government to consider re-establishing a Scottish Development International (SDI) office in the country to promote trade.
Chi-Hua Ding – the director general of the Taipei Representative Office in Edinburgh – highlighted that Scotland and Taiwan already enjoy strong commercial links,
For example, Taiwan was the fourth biggest market for Scottish whisky in the world in both 2023 and 2024.
The island nation also saw imports of Scottish salmon rise last year and the population also has a huge appetite for Mackie’s ice cream – buying over one million tubs of the Scottish firm’s traditional flavour in 2023.
“Maintaining a vibrant and thriving economic and commercial relationship between Scotland and Taiwan continues to bring mutual benefits,” Ding (below) told The National.
He highlighted a report released by HMRC in December which found that, by the end of 2023, Scotland’s goods exports to Taiwan reached £364 million.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s exports to Scotland totalled £133 million.
Ding then went on to stress the importance of the former SDI office in Taiwan played – which was operational from 1995 until it was closed in 2020, and even had a permanent envoy stationed.
The diplomat previously called for a new SDI office to The National in February last year, but has again stressed it should return.
There are currently more than 30 SDI offices across the world promoting Scottish business in locations across the United States, Europe, South Africa, Asia and Australia.
There are also seven Scottish Government international offices based in British Embassies or High Commissions – although these were threatened with closure by the last UK Government after then first minister Humza Yousaf met Turkey’s president at COP28 in 2023.
At First Minister’s Questions yesterday, John Swinney stressed the importance of SDI.
“[They] are absolutely critical to the representation of Scotland abroad and the economic success of our country,” he said.
GlobalScot, Scotland's international business network, offers guidance to Scottish companies looking to enter and collaborate in international markets, including Taiwan.
But Ding said that he was keen to explore opportunities to “further strengthen our commercial and civil ties”.
“One such possibility could be the reinstatement of a permanent SDI envoy in Taiwan,” he said.
“As we mark 2025 as a milestone year in Scotland-Taiwan relations, we recognize Scotland’s global leadership in the renewable energy sector. Through our shared values and joint efforts, we hope to further enhance our commercial and civil exchanges for the benefit of both sides.”
