Taiwan will host two Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation workshops early July to help small and medium enterprises better respond to today’s rapidly changing world, according to the ROC Ministry of Economic Affairs June 29.
The APEC SME Workshop on Transporting Goods and Services Reliably and Cost Efficiently will be held July 11 in the capital city of Taipei, the ministry said.
“The workshop will address questions such as how SMEs in the Asia-Pacific region can reduce transportation costs through innovative strategies and improved policies,” said the MOEA.
The APEC Symposium on Promoting Business Continuity Plans to Enhance SMEs’ Participation in Global Production Chains will be held July 12, also in Taipei.
“The symposium will provide tips to SMEs on how they can improve their participation rate in global production chains by enhancing transportation capacities and reducing transportation costs,” the ministry said.
Among those scheduled to take parts in the events are Stan Shih, founder of computer giant Acer Inc., and Michael Schwager, head of the Industry and Small Business Policy Division at Australia’s Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.
Industry experts and scholars from Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand and the U.S. are also expected to take part in the international gathering.
One goal of the workshops is to help increase trade and investment throughout the Asia-Pacific region, said the ministry.
In addition, the conferences should help SMEs better cope with natural disasters, including devastating earthquakes and torrential rains that threaten entire cities, the MOEA said.
Noting that natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region caused losses in excess of US$380 billion last year, the ministry said that “establishing mechanisms in response to natural disasters and ensuring cooperation capabilities in a globalized economic environment have become issues that enterprises cannot ignore.”
Taiwan is currently chair of the APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group. (HZW)
Write to Grace Kuo at mlkuo@mofa.gov.tw