National Archives Administration (NAA)

Overview

The National Archives Administration (NAA; Chinese: 國家發展委員會檔案管理局) is the official archives authority of the Republic of China (Taiwan), responsible for managing, preserving, and providing public access to the official records of the central government. The NAA is an agency under the National Development Council and is headquartered in the Linkou District of New Taipei City.

History and Founding

The legal basis for national archives management in Taiwan was established with the passage of the Archives Act on 15 December 1999, which came into effect on 1 January 2002. The NAA Preparatory Office was set up by the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission (RDEC) on 1 March 2000. The Organic Act of the National Archives Administration was passed on 24 October 2001, and the NAA was formally established on 23 November 2001. In 2013, as part of government restructuring, the NAA was transferred to the newly established National Development Council, formally taking effect on 22 January 2014.

Collections and Holdings

As of mid-2025, the NAA's national archives collection totals over 31,000 linear meters. Holdings encompass documents relating to government administration, policy affairs, legislative and executive records, national security, financial administration, education and culture, social development, and local affairs. The NAA manages the Archives Access Service (A+), an online system enabling catalog searches, access applications, and digital browsing. It also operates ACROSS (Archives Cross Boundaries), a portal launched in 2010 that provides integrated searching across multiple archival databases to support historical research into Taiwan.

Access and Usage

Researchers may access archives through the Archives Access Center (AAC) at the NAA's Linkou facility, where photo identification is required. Online access is available through the A+ system for members holding a citizen digital certificate. The NAA also provides archive duplication services by mail after application review. Educational programs, exhibitions, and publications such as the Archives LOHAS series are regularly produced to promote archival literacy.