Comprising up to three executives from each member economy, ABAC was established in 1995 to offer guidance to APEC leaders. In addition to being an active participant in the ABAC meetings, Taiwan has hosted the international gatherings of business leaders three times, in 1998, 2004 and 2010.
Taiwan’s delegates to the event, the first ABAC meeting since President Tsai Ing-wen assumed office, are I-Mei Foods Co. Chairperson Henry Kao, PChome Online Inc. founder and CEO Jan Hung-tze, and Industrial Bank of Taiwan Vice Chairperson Tina Lo. Representing different generations of business leadership and possessing diverse expertise, they will help Taiwan enterprises connect with the international community through their participation in the platform, the Office of the President said.
According to the Office of the President, Kao was chosen due to his 14 years of experience representing Taiwan on the council from 1996 to 2009, while Jan was appointed for his leadership of the nation’s largest e-commerce enterprise and his efforts to help local startups in the field explore Southeast Asian markets.
The selection of Lo, the first person from Taiwan to be chosen for both the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders program and the Eisenhower Fellowship, “reflects the attention Taiwan pays to economic issues concerning women, which have been a central concern for APEC in recent years,” the Office of the President said.
Held under the theme “Quality Growth and Human Development,” this year’s ABAC and APEC events will focus on advancing regional economic integration, boosting micro, small and medium enterprises, promoting growth across diverse sectors, and fostering legal and social frameworks for sustainable development.
Beginning as an informal discussion group in 1989, APEC has since become the Asia-Pacific region’s top forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, investment and trade, with Taiwan gaining full membership in 1991 under the name Chinese Taipei. The 21 member economies work toward the creation of a barrier-free business environment, investment liberalization and regional peace through collaboration and communication.
Taiwan has made substantial contributions to regional development through APEC, spearheading such initiatives as the Skills Development Capacity Building Alliance. Launched earlier this year, the project promotes research on youth employment and collaboration between vocational training professionals from participating economies, with the alliance’s first forum taking place at Taichung City Hall in central Taiwan in May. The 2016 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will be held Nov. 19-20 in Lima, Peru. (KTJ-CM)
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