Known as “the Godmother of the regional revitalization initiative,” Chen Mei-ling serves as chairperson of the Taiwan Regional Revitalization Foundation (TWRR), where she spearheads efforts to breathe new life into local communities across the island. A veteran public servant with a legal background and more than four decades of government experience, Chen has held several senior posts, including Minister of the National Development Council (NDC) and Secretary-General of the Executive Yuan.
During her time in public office, Chen played a pivotal role in shaping Taiwan’s regional revitalization policy and led the government task force that drafted the same-sex marriage law, positioning Taiwan as the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex unions. After stepping down from public office, she co-founded the TWRR to continue fostering community growth and development nationwide.
AmCham Taiwan Communications Manager Christine Huang sat down with Chen Mei-ling to discuss her journey and the challenges and successes along the way. An abridged version of their conversation follows
What first drew you to government work?
After graduating, I took the national exam and joined the Ministry of Justice, where I worked for 22 years. While many law graduates pursued careers as prosecutors, entering government service was also a common choice for legal professionals in Taiwan and the more pragmatic one for me. On the one hand, I have a more reserved personality than many other lawyers. On the other, public-sector roles offered a sense of stability that was highly valued in Taiwan several decades ago. I moved from local to central government positions and eventually served at the NDC. Reflecting on my 40-year career, I feel privileged to have witnessed Taiwan’s growth and development.
During your time leading the National Development Council, you were a key driver of Taiwan’s regional revitalization policy. What motivated you to champion this initiative?
The “Community Empowerment Program” had been in place for more than 20 years when I took office at the NDC, yet the urban-rural divide remained stark. By 2017, Taiwan’s demographic challenges, marked by a declining birthrate and an aging population, were becoming more urgent. Without intervention, rural areas faced decline or even abandonment. Even more importantly, there wouldn’t be enough talent to maintain Taiwan’s global competitiveness. I saw this not only as an issue of national development but as a matter of national security.
This led me to propose the regional revitalization program to the Executive Yuan, aiming to revitalize rural areas, encourage young people to return to their hometowns, and enhance local self-development capacity.
Japan had begun addressing similar challenges earlier and served as a valuable reference. But unlike Japan, which took a top-down approach driven by the central government, we decided to adopt a bottom-up strategy after visiting local communities. By empowering local government units to take the lead and allowing the NDC to coordinate across sectors, we could ensure a more holistic and sustainable approach.
The success of this program is seen in how we have reignited communities, helping them rediscover their sense of belonging and connection to their hometowns. But it’s not just about government funding or replicating successful cases – it’s about having the right policies, working with local communities, and listening to their real needs. That is the long-term challenge.
After leaving public office, you co-founded the TWRR. What inspired you to make this switch?
The decision was completely unexpected. During my time at the NDC, I visited 22 counties and cities around Taiwan, forming strong bonds with local partners. Even after leaving public office, I wanted to maintain these relationships and ensure regional revitalization efforts continued. Unlike government agencies, nongovernmental organizations are more effective at connecting people. So, with the generous support of Chou Chun-chi, founder of Sinyi Group, we established the TWRR to continue this important work.
At its core, regional revitalization is about enabling local communities to thrive at a sustainable scale, ensuring that residents have access to meaningful employment and a high quality of life. The foundation serves as a supportive platform, connecting grassroots partners with essential resources, offering professional guidance, and creating opportunities to showcase their work on broader stages.
For example, through our collaboration with AmCham’s NextGen Program, we’ve brought together young professionals from the corporate sector and rural communities. This exchange allows both sides to learn from each other, build mutual understanding, and explore avenues for long-term collaboration. In doing so, we not only strengthen local development but also contribute to Taiwan’s overall competitiveness.
We also encourage our regional revitalization partners to align their initiatives with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. By integrating these principles into local development plans and business models, we aim to ensure that emerging local brands and enterprises are not only vibrant and competitive but also environmentally and socially sustainable.
Regional revitalization requires cross-sector partnerships. What is the key to building trust and cooperation among these groups?
The most important thing is to listen. You need to make efforts to engage with the locals, try to understand their needs, and build relationships with them. We call it puânn-nuá (盤撋) in Taiwanese. Even when opinions differ, trust creates the conditions for open and honest dialogue. With that trust in place, you can weigh diverse perspectives and exercise sound judgment in identifying viable solutions. This ability to navigate complexity through collaboration is fundamental to advancing regional revitalization.
I also believe in “learning by doing.” It’s by accumulating experiences that we learn to better facilitate cooperation and reach shared goals.
How would you describe the role of AmCham in Taiwan’s economic development, and how can AmCham’s industry committees engage more effectively with the government?
AmCham plays a key role in providing valuable input from foreign businesses to the government. Many regulatory challenges faced by businesses are not always fully understood by government officials, especially at the beginning of the policymaking stage. AmCham’s White Paper helps the government address these challenges, offering recommendations for policy adjustments that better fit real-world needs.
I would recommend that AmCham’s industry committees engage more proactively with mid-level government officials, initiating dialogue early in the policy process rather than waiting for high-level, cross-ministerial discussions. These mid-level officials are often the ones shaping and implementing policy on the ground. Building relationships with them facilitates more efficient communication and ensures that public servants better understand the significance and practical implications of the issues being raised.
As Secretary-General of the Executive Yuan, you led the task force responsible for drafting Taiwan’s same-sex marriage law. How did you address diverging societal views to advance marriage equality?
During my tenure at the Ministry of Justice, I was responsible for reviewing and revising Taiwan’s marriage laws. At the time, Taiwan’s Civil Code was still heavily influenced by traditional Chinese cultural norms and patriarchal views. I was simultaneously studying international case studies, revising the laws, and responding to calls for legal reforms from domestic groups. Later, due to a change in my position, then-Executive Yuan Premier Lin Chuan appointed me to lead a task force to address the legalization of same-sex marriage in response to the Constitutional Court’s ruling.
It was really challenging at first because there were many different voices on both sides. Therefore, I could only look at this topic from a legal perspective, focusing on how it might impact Taiwan’s legal framework and maintaining a neutral stance on equality.
As much as I wanted Taiwan to align with global trends, communication was not easy. Fortunately, Taiwan’s diverse society facilitated robust discussions, gradually easing tensions. While there were still many opponents with strong beliefs, our task force and the ruling party worked hard to find solutions and address those points. We hoped to present the right message to help people understand the trend and respect the consensus. Even though the process was tough, I was deeply moved and impressed by how Taiwan embraced democratic values and respected diverse opinions.
How do you balance top-down policy thinking with bottom-up community needs?
The key is starting from the ground up. In the past, many policies were developed at the central level and then pushed down without full consideration of their impact on local communities. This “ineffective governance” births policies that don’t address real issues, which challenges the government’s credibility, wastes resources, and weakens trust between the government and the people.
By focusing on local communities and truly understanding their needs, we can pinpoint the real problems and come up with practical solutions. I always emphasize the importance of listening and then incorporating that feedback into the policymaking process.
When we work with local partners, I also encourage them to reflect on their core motivations and long-term goals rather than just focusing on ticking off boxes or meeting bureaucratic requirements. This approach helps us deliver real progress in local development.
How do you balance your professional responsibilities and personal life?
Since leaving public office, I’ve started to see work as part of my life. Every time I visit different towns and communities, I feel like I’m just taking trips to reconnect with old friends. I don’t see it as work, but as something I truly enjoy. When I do have free time, I like to hike in the mountains to clear my mind and recharge.
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