Focusing on recent trends in Chinese Taipei, this paper analyzes ways in which adult education policies may be used to establish a successful and permanent foundation for lifelong learning. First, political, social, and educational dimensions of life in Chinese Taipei are examined, highlighting a major weakness in the field of adult education due to little or unproductive collaboration between providers. Next, the government's adult education policies are analyzed, focusing on 1992's Five Year Scheme, which laid the foundation for raising the standards of adult educational practices and lifelong learning; 1996's Lifelong Learning Oriented Middle Stage Adult Education Development Scheme, emphasizing programming and implementation of the Five Year Scheme; and Whole Construction of Community, a cultural policy package designed to establish a systematic learning society in the country. The following four strategies to strengthen adult education are then presented: (1) bridge the gap between policy and practice by developing a needs assessment tool to determine present demands and reveal future trends; (2) increase multiple participation in policy making by involving participants, providers, and other government departments; (3) balance descriptive and prescriptive demands; and (4) improve program evaluation through multiple, inter-, and intra-departmental assessment. Finally, adult education and lifelong learning in Chinese Taipei and other economies are discussed. Contains 18 references. (TGI)