JEDDAH, 28 August 2004 — Taiwan has offered to cooperate with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in imparting vocational training to Saudis, and in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector, according to Chin Ray Liu, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Jeddah.
“This offer was made during a meeting with JCCI Secretary-General Mohammed A. Al-Sharif on Wednesday, “Liu told Arab News on Thursday. He said that Steven Yang, director, was also present during the “friendly and fruitful” talks.
Liu said that Saudi Arabia has been giving a lot of attention to human resource development and promotion of SMEs to enable Saudis to find work and be gainfully employed. “We are prepared to cooperate with the chamber, which has been supporting the Kingdom’s growth and development vigorously and aggressively,” he said. “Taiwan has numerous SMEs and 50 years of experience in the field so as to confidently and successfully be able to cooperate in this direction.”
Saudi Arabia spends more than SR1.5 billion annually on the training of Saudis in order to prepare them for work in the private sector, which has its specific requirements.
The Chamber’s Jeddah Center for Manpower Development conducts programs in coordination with the National Organization for Co-operative Training.
It not only imparts comprehensive training to Saudi youth but also holds job fairs‚ twice a year where employers and job seekers meet and hundreds of Saudis are able to land jobs following face-to-face meetings and interviews.
Liu said that the talks with Al-Sharif centered on increasing trade, investments, tourism, vocational training, human resource development, and SMEs. “I am told that nearly 50,000 Saudis visit our neighbor Malaysia. Taiwan is not far from there, and they can utilize the opportunity to experience and enjoy a different culture, cuisine, and scenic beauty,” he added.
He said that a computer delegation from Taiwan representing 20 companies would be visiting Jeddah from Sept. 12 to 16.
