Taiwan initiatives under APEC are helping foster business development, digital innovation and women’s entrepreneurship in the Asia-Pacific.
From July 19-20, about 4,000 officials and technology sector representatives from all 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies gathered in Taipei City for the Digital Innovation Forum (DIF). The most high-profile event of its kind ever held in the country, the seminar featured keynote addresses and panel discussions by 35 prominent industry figures, including Audrey Tang (唐鳳), Taiwan’s digital minister; former Estonian President Toomas Hendrick Ilves; British author and entrepreneur Chris Anderson; and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales. Talks focused on such issues as the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, digital governance and financial technology.
The forum was supported by the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and jointly organized by the ABACs of Taiwan and Papua New Guinea. The Commonwealth country is the host of this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for Nov. 18.
Jan Hung-tze (詹宏志), Taiwan’s representative to the ABAC and chairman of its Digital Innovation Working Group, said the seminar’s goal was to enhance regional collaboration in related technological development. The DIF also helped spotlight key emerging business trends as well as raise Taiwan’s international visibility, he added. A report summarizing insights and perspectives from the event was delivered to the heads of member economies.
Performers deliver a technology-inspired dance and musical show at the opening of the Digital Innovation Forum. (Photo courtesy of Taiwan Institute of Economic Research)
Valuable Partner
Since joining APEC in 1991, Taiwan has spearheaded a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation and capacity building in areas spanning disease prevention; food security; human capital; information and communication technology (ICT); small and medium enterprises (SME); and women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship. Every year, Taiwan officials attend about 190 APEC meetings to discuss matters of mutual concern and share experiences. The nation also hosts a variety of APEC events annually, with more than 30 conferences, forums and workshops staged in the country this year.
Jeff Lin (林建甫), executive director of the Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center (CTASC), said that Taiwan enjoyed rapid economic growth over the past several decades and is committed to using its extensive development know-how to improve public welfare throughout the Asia-Pacific. “APEC also provides an important platform for Taiwan’s public and private sectors to deepen dialogue and collaboration with overseas counterparts.”
Hosted by Taipei-headquartered Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, CTASC coordinates the nation’s APEC-related education, outreach and research programs. Lin, who doubles as president of the think tank, said the center conducts in-depth analysis on APEC policy priorities and works closely with government agencies to craft international programs in support of these objectives.
According to Lin, the DIF is a prime example of Taiwan’s efforts in this regard. Designed in line with the organization’s 2018 theme of Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future, “the forum was a great success, receiving positive feedback from APEC representatives and coverage from major media outlets like the BBC and The New York Times,” he said. “It also highlighted Taiwan’s capabilities in cultivating digital technology and hosting large-scale international events.”
Marina Tsai, center, and two staff members display Hygeia Touch’s at-home diagnostic kits for people and companion animals at the company’s headquarters in northern Taiwan’s Hsinchu County. (Photo by Chen Mei-ling)
SME Support
Taiwan’s commitment to promoting regional business and technology development was also on display at another conference staged in the country during July. Early that month, about 500 officials and business representatives from 20 member economies met in the southern city of Kaohsiung for the APEC Online-to-Offline (O2O) Summit. Organized by the local government and the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration (SMEA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), the July 2-3 event spotlighted cutting-edge tech startups and young entrepreneurs as well as digital transformation strategies for SMEs.
The summit was held as part of the APEC SME O2O Initiative. Launched in 2016 by Taiwan in cooperation with the Philippines, the four-year program seeks to enhance the digital competitiveness and resilience of SMEs. The third phase of the project in 2018 is being carried out in collaboration with Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. It comprises 10 forums and workshops held alternately in the member economies.
According to the SMEA, these events provide high-level mentoring, networking and marketing opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs and enterprises. Success stories and business experiences shared at the meetings are being compiled into an APEC SME O2O best practice handbook set to be published next year.
One of the highlights of this year’s summit was a pitch event featuring 31 domestic and foreign startups in fields like e-commerce, Internet of Things and the sharing economy. A judging panel, comprising consultants and venture capitalists from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the U.S., evaluated participants and offered feedback across such areas as business strategies, development challenges and market opportunities.
Chang Wei-shuan, back, third left, co-founder and CEO of Taipei-based social media and online sales platform Womany, joins female officials and business leaders at the 2017 APEC Women and the Economy Forum in Vietnam. (Photo courtesy of Womany)
Among the enterprises was Hygeia Touch based in northern Taiwan’s Hsinchu County. The company received the SMEA best practice award at the event for its at-home medical diagnostic kits for people and companion animals. Hygeia Touch’s biomarker testing devices enable early detection of cervical cancers and vaginal and urinary tract infections. Results are viewable through a mobile application and can be uploaded to cloud-based medical information systems.
CEO Marina Tsai (蔡美柔) said that the pitch session was an invaluable platform for introducing her firm’s business concept and vision to industry experts and investors. “After launching sales in Taiwan, we plan to expand operations to Southeast Asia and ultimately around the world, so the APEC O2O Summit provided the perfect venue to start building international partnerships.”
According to Tsai, participation also offered important insights into regional development and sectoral trends. “Starting a business is a solitary endeavor, so companies like ours need support,” she said. “This APEC initiative is an excellent way for startups to gain exposure and fine-tune growth strategies.”
Empowerment Programs
In promoting business growth through APEC, Taiwan has placed particular focus on advancing entrepreneurship among women. The nation’s reputation for female empowerment in the workplace was highlighted this year when two of its projects were approved during the Sept. 3-7 APEC Women and the Economy Forum (WEF) in Papua New Guinea.
Drafted separately by the MOEA’s Bureau of Energy (BOE) and SMEA, the programs were among three recipients of the Women and the Economy Sub-Fund, which was jointly established last year by Taiwan, Australia and the U.S. The BOE initiative involves organizing seminars and workshops to explore gender equality issues in the energy sector and exchange best practices on how to tackle them, while the SMEA proposal, developed in cooperation with Russia, aims to utilize trade shows and matchmaking sessions to help women entrepreneurs access funding.
Taiwan initiatives under APEC span such areas as reducing food waste through public-private partnerships and boosting the career development of athletes in the digital age. (Photos courtesy of Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center)
As part of its long-standing efforts to strengthen women’s participation in regional economies, Taiwan sends some of the nation’s top female business leaders to APEC events to share their experiences and expertise. Among these is Chang Wei-shuan (張瑋軒), co-founder and CEO of Taipei-based social media and online sales platform Womany. At the invitation of the government-supported Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development, she delivered presentations at the 2016 APEC conclusive meeting of the Innovation for Women and Economic Development Project in Taipei as well as the 2017 WEF in Vietnam.
During the conferences, Chang highlighted the strategies that she and two friends used to build Womany, the first online business in Taiwan with a core focus on gender issues and female consciousness. Attracting millions of visitors per week, the site features articles written by its editors and more than 100 columnists on topics like career development and self-exploration. Womany also organizes two major annual events—I Love Myself Metime Festival and the Global Women Leadership Forum—as well as regular lectures, training courses and workshops.
“At the APEC events, I shared efficient and cost-effective methods of boosting consumer engagement using ICT and social media tools,” Chang said. “It’s my hope that by discussing my experiences of starting a business, I can inspire women attendees to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.”
The number and scope of programs implemented by Taiwan under APEC evince the country’s capacity and commitment to boosting inclusive growth in the Asia-Pacific. “Over the years, Taiwan has made substantial contributions through APEC,” Lin of the CTASC said. “These efforts have strengthened prosperity throughout the region and expanded Taiwan’s presence on the world stage.”
Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw