To bring more Taiwanese delicacies to the global market, the government plans to spend NT$1.1 billion (US$35 million) over four years to assist local restaurants in building 20 international brands, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said Monday. The plan aims at helping domestic restaurant operators open 3,500 stores in Taiwan and around the world, create 10,000 job opportunities, and boost private investment by NT$2 billion, according to the Department of Commerce under the MOEA. Yeh Yun-lung, chief of the MOEA's Department of Commerce, said that 30 international brands have been established by Taiwanese restaurant operators to date, and the MOEA will help increase the number of brands to 50 by 2013. A team has been set up within the MOEA to internationalize Taiwan's delicacies, and it will also draw on the resources of other government agencies, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission, to achieve the goal, Yeh said. To help restaurant operators become more globalized, Yeh said the ministry will not only help establish an association enabling restaurant operators to exchange their experiences, but will also help arrange overseas training or contests for local cooks. It will also coordinate with the Ministry of the Transportation and Communications (MOTC) to open a special zone at Taiwan's airports for Taiwanese delicacies. 