James Soong, chairman of the opposition People First Party, in his capacity as President Tsai Ing-wen’s representative to the 24th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting, unveiled Nov. 11 his delegation’s priorities for the summit.
The APEC Leaders’ Meeting will be held Nov. 19-20 in Lima, Peru, and attended by the 21 member economies.
In a meeting earlier that day at the Office of the President, Tsai instructed Soong on three major objectives for the APEC summit. The first is to find new business opportunities for the nation’s economic development; The second is to exchange views with the various economic leaders on how they are dealing with recent political shifts, and how these changes are affecting the global economy; The third is to share the nation’s experiences in economic development and transformation.
At an Executive Yuan press conference, it was revealed that Soong and his delegation will work to connect Taiwan small and medium enterprises to global markets, enhance trade ties with APEC member economies, and boost Taiwan’s presence in the international community.
According to Soong, the government prioritizes equitable wealth distribution, in line with the Tsai administration’s goal of closing the income gap and reducing the divide between urban and rural development, he noted.
The PFP chairman also said his designation as Taiwan’s representative shows that the country can put aside partisan politics and work together toward peace and economic development in the Asia-Pacific.
Soong also detailed that he will attend seven events as well as a working breakfast, lunch and dinner during the summit. He will give talks on Taiwan’s SMEs, human resources development and how to pursue quality economic development.
A prominent public figure in Taiwan for decades, Soong has held a number of senior government posts, including personal secretary to the president, director-general of the Government Information Office (equivalent to minister of information) and government spokesman. He also served as Taiwan provincial governor from 1994 to 1998.
Since becoming a full member of APEC in 1991, the nation has made substantial contributions to numerous initiatives and projects spanning such areas as disaster prevention, food security, information and communications technology, and women and the economy. It donated US$500,000 to the APEC Support Fund in August this year to help facilitate technical cooperation and promote regional economic integration. (KWS-E)
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