The Ministry of Finance hosted the "2026 International Public Finance Management Seminar" yesterday （the 8th）. Mr. João Pedro Farinha Fernandes, Principal Public Management Economist of the Asian Development Bank （ADB）, was invited to deliver keynote speeches and share international practical experiences during the morning and afternoon sessions. The two main themes were "Fiscal Effectiveness and Fiscal Risk Management" and "Sustainable Infrastructure Financing and Fiscal Discipline." For the first time, the afternoon session invited trainees from the International Center for Land Policy Studies and Training （ICLPST） to participate, aiming to broaden the international perspectives of fiscal personnel through cross-disciplinary exchanges.
To cultivate globally-minded professionals in the fiscal sector, the Ministry of Finance first held the International Fiscal Training Program in 2014. Due to positive feedback from participants, the program is now in its 8th edition. Topics covered include government fiscal and budget management, public financial management, international public infrastructure project financial evaluation, public-private partnerships （PPPs）, public debt management, sustainable development financing, and big data-driven fiscal innovation. The initiative aims to continually expand the international horizons of fiscal personnel and build their professional caliber and forward-looking mindset.
The seminar brought together 56 central and local government personnel specializing in finance, accounting, and economic affairs. Uniquely, this year marked the first collaboration with the ICLPST, featuring the center’s deputy director alongside domestic and international trainees and instructors from the "Sustainable, Resilient, and Smart Infrastructure" training delegation in the afternoon session. The delegation included participants, experts, and lecturers from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy hailing from Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, bringing total attendance for the afternoon session to 85. This integration made the exchange among domestic and international industry, government, and academic sectors more diverse and internationalized.
The morning session commenced with opening remarks delivered by Director-General Po-Cheng Chen of the National Treasury Agency, Ministry of Finance. Mr. João Pedro Farinha Fernandes then delivered the keynote address, focusing on public investment and fiscal risk management reforms. Using international practical cases, he deeply analyzed the challenges and experiences encountered during reform processes and explored ways to strengthen fiscal efficiency amidst global economic fluctuations.
The afternoon session centered on infrastructure development and fiscal discipline. Mr. João Pedro Farinha Fernandes approached the topics from dimensions such as public debt, public-private partnerships, and fiscal rule reforms, sharing practical insights that combined theoretical depth with real-world application. With both domestic and international trainees participating, the interactive Q&A and knowledge exchange with the ADB speaker deepened the learning experience and inspired cross-disciplinary thinking.
The Ministry of Finance stated that in addition to effectively broadening the international perspectives of fiscal personnel, the seminar helps absorb valuable international experiences in promoting public debt, investment, fiscal risk management, and infrastructure financing reforms. This further enhances our fiscal management efficiency, maintains government fiscal sustainability, and lays a solid foundation for advancing forward-looking fiscal policies.
Contact Information: Section Chief, Chen, Sih-Yu
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