President Ma Ying-jeou met on the afternoon of November 3 with the ROC delegation that will depart on November 10 to attend the 2011 APEC Economic Leaders' Week. The president expressed his hope that Taiwan's business, government, and academic communities will jointly use the APEC platform to enable the international community to understand the importance of the ROC in the global economy and the efforts that the ROC is making. This, he said, will help to further raise the ROC's visibility and status in the global arena.
The 2011 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) will take place on November 12 to 13 in Honolulu, Hawaii. President Ma specially expressed his appreciation to former Vice President Lien Chan (連戰) for his tireless efforts in serving as the nation's envoy to the AELM for the fourth time. President Ma praised the former vice president's outstanding performance during the 2008 AELM in Peru, the 2009 AELM in Singapore, and the 2010 AELM in Japan. He said that former Vice President Lien made a deep impression on many people, and that he is confident that even greater achievements will be seen this year.
President Ma stated that this year's APEC will focus on building a "seamless regional economy" by: (1) strengthening regional economic integration and expanding trade; (2) promoting green growth; and (3) expanding regulatory cooperation and advancing regulatory convergence. The president pointed out that the direction of these themes are consistent with the national policy of achieving the conditions to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership in the next 10 years, which is part of his recently announced "Golden Decade, National Visions" blueprint. The president said that Taiwan last year signed the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with mainland China, and in September of this year inked the Taiwan-Japan Bilateral Investment Arrangement. In addition, the ROC and Singapore are currently in negotiations on the Agreement between Singapore and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Partnership (ASTEP). Also, last month Taiwan and New Zealand issued a joint statement announcing that research will be carried out to examine the feasibility of signing an economic cooperation agreement between the two, he said. Moreover, the ROC and other nations have engaged in contact on a variety of levels, which indicates that the ROC has already initiated its efforts to participate in regional economic integration, he remarked.
Former Vice President Lien noted that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the ROC's entry into APEC, and that the ROC has been a dedicated and active member of the organization. Over the past 20 years, the volume of our economic and trade activity in the Asia-Pacific region has increased by more than three fold, which demonstrates the close cooperation between Taiwan and the economic entities in the region.
Former Vice President Lien stated that while the global financial crisis has waned, steep challenges still face the economy in the future. Topics to be discussed at the upcoming meetings will include maintaining and continuing economic growth, energy efficiency and safety, and regulatory reform and raising competitiveness. All of these issues are of concern throughout the world, he said. The former vice president also pointed out the successful measures adopted by the ROC during the financial tsunami, including implementation of loose monetary policies, institution of the so-called "three supports" policy (in which the government supported banks, the banks in turn supported enterprises by providing financing, and enterprises supported workers by keeping them on the payroll), caring for the wellbeing of the underprivileged, and taking steps to reduce unemployment. Countries around the world have recognized the effectiveness of these measures, he said. Consequently, the organizers of the meetings have specially arranged for him to speak during the AELM and its various breakout sessions to share Taiwan's experiences in this respect. Former Vice President Lien said that he and the entire delegation will spare no effort in familiarizing the world with the contributions of Taiwan to the regional economy, thereby successfully achieving its mission during the event.
The ROC's delegation to the 2011 APEC Economic Leaders' Week will include Lien Chan, who will serve as President Ma's representative to the event, advisors Stephen S.F. Chen (陳錫蕃), Lin Ming-cheng (林明成), Ho Show-chung (何壽川), Liang Chi-yuan (梁啟源), Chiao Yu-lon (焦佑倫), Harace Lin (林鴻明), and Lawrence S. Liu (劉紹樑); Cathay Financial Holdings Chairman Tsai Hong-tu (蔡宏圖), MiTAC-Synnex Group Chairman Matthew Miao (苗豐強), Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺), Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang (施顏祥), Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Chin-tien Yang (楊進添), and National Security Council Advisor Tung Kuo-yu (董國猷). The delegation went to the Presidential Office in the afternoon to meet with President Ma. Also attending the meeting was Vice President Vincent C. Siew and National Security Council Secretary-General Hu Wei-jen (胡為真).