National Archives Administration NAA National Development Council, Taiwan

Overview

The National Archives Administration (NAA; 國家發展委員會檔案管理局) is the central government archives authority in Taiwan, responsible for the acquisition, transfer, preservation, and public access of national archives. It is a subordinate agency of the National Development Council (NDC; 國家發展委員會).

History and Founding

The legal foundation for a national archives system was established on December 15, 1999, when Taiwan's government passed the Archives Act, which took effect on January 1, 2002. On March 1, 2000, a preparatory office was set up under the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (RDEC). The NAA was formally established on November 23, 2001, as a unit of the RDEC. Following government restructuring, on August 21, 2013, President Ma Ying-jeou promulgated the Organic Act Establishing the National Archives Administration under the National Development Council. The NAA became a part of the newly formed NDC on January 22, 2014. A purpose-built National Archives building in Linkou District, New Taipei City opened for public operations on November 22, 2025.

Mandate and Collections

The NAA serves as the central competent authority for archives across all government agencies. Its holdings span political, economic, social, cultural, local, and security affairs. Notable among its digitized holdings are records related to the February 28 Incident (228 Event) and Taiwan's democratic transition. Government agencies are legally required to transfer permanent records to the NAA. As of 2018, the NAA had converted over 612,880 pages of archives into digital form.

Access

National archives become publicly accessible no later than 30 years after creation. Researchers may search catalogs through the Archives Access Service (A+) online system or visit the Archives Access Center (AAC) at the NAA premises. The NAA also provides archive duplication services by mail.