President Tsai Ing-wen said Oct. 14 that Morris Chang, founder and former chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., will be her envoy at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit in Santiago, Chile.
Chang is eminently qualified to attend the biggest economic forum in the region, Tsai said. His peerless international reputation and insights on the development of Taiwan’s high-tech industry put him on an equal footing with world leaders when it comes to discussing key global issues, she added.
According to Tsai, there is every reason to believe Chang and the APEC delegation will succeed in cultivating opportunities for cooperation with the other 20 member economies while presenting Taiwan as a determined partner in realizing a connected future for the international community.
Tsai said one of Chang’s priorities during the Nov. 16-17 meeting is to share Taiwan’s achievements in promoting a digital society and smart nation, as well as its efforts to fast-track economic integration across the Asia-Pacific. This involves highlighting Taiwan’s efforts in enhancing inclusivity and sustainable growth to bring about economic empowerment and bridge the regional digital divide, she said.
Chang, who also represented Tsai at the last year’s summit in Papua New Guinea, said he will again discuss ways of harnessing the power of the digital economy, and tackling issues like unemployment and income disparity stemming from the rapid rise of the internet.
Taiwan joined APEC in 1991 and has made substantial contributions spanning areas such as disaster prevention, food security, information communication technology, small and medium enterprise development, and women’s economic empowerment. (YCH-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw