The 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Beijing in November. Presidential Office Spokesperson Wei-kuo Ma (馬瑋國) stated on October 8 that President Ma Ying-jeou has decided to ask former Vice President Vincent C. Siew (蕭萬長) to serve as his representative to the event.
Spokesperson Ma remarked that former Vice President Siew understands Taiwan's domestic political situation and is well-versed in economic, trade, and foreign affairs. The former vice president, she said, previously has attended APEC meetings five times as minister of economic affairs and representative of the president. Spokesperson Ma added that former Vice President Siew has attended the Boao Forum for Asia nine times, and is well regarded for his achievements there. Because he has broad expertise and abundant experience, the former vice president will be able to accurately convey the status of Taiwan's economic and trade development to the international community and further enhance Taiwan's influence in the trade regime within the Asia-Pacific, she said. It is for these reasons that President Ma asked former Vice President Siew to once again serve as his envoy to the meeting, Spokesperson Ma stated.
Spokesperson Ma explained that taking part in international and regional economic integration is an important objective of the government, and "Advancing Regional Economic Integration" happens to be the focal topic at this year's APEC meetings. Former Vice President Siew has long concerned himself with related issues and he presently serves as the convenor of a promotion committee (composed of members from the private sector, including figures from the opposition parties and representatives of the business community) whose mission is to push for Taiwan's admission to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), she said. Spokesperson Ma remarked that the former vice president will take advantage of the APEC venue to exchange opinions on a wide range of topics with other leaders from APEC members in an effort to further create conditions conducive to Taiwan's joining the TPP and the RCEP.