Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On October 21 Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) announced that President Lai Ching-te has invited Lin Hsin-i (林信義), chairman of Taiwania Capital Management Corporation, to act as his representative to attend the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) to be held in Lima, Peru from November 15 to 16.

Spokesperson Kuo said that Chairman Lin, currently a senior advisor to the president and advisor on the Executive Yuan’s Economic Development Commission, possesses experience in both the public and private sectors. Beginning as a corporate manager, Chairman Lin has served as vice chairperson of China Motor Corporation and chairman of Tokio Marine Newa Insurance Corp. Ltd., she said. Using his corporate management experience to transition into major government roles, the spokesperson noted, he has served as minister of economic affairs, vice premier, minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development (now National Development Council) of the Executive Yuan, and chairman of the Industrial Technology Research Institute. The spokesperson emphasized that Chairman Lin possesses a deep understanding of national economic and trade policy formulation and implementation.

Spokesperson Kuo stated that Chairman Lin has attended APEC meetings three times and is thus well acquainted with the forum’s operation and issues. She explained that he represented Taiwan at the APEC Ministerial Meeting at both the 2000 meeting in Brunei and the 2001 meeting in Shanghai, and that he was appointed by former President Chen Shui-bian as leader’s representative in 2005, when he led a delegation to attend the AELM in Busan, Korea. She noted that he successfully completed his mission in each of these meetings.

The theme for this year’s APEC in Peru is Empower, Include, Grow, Spokesperson Kuo noted, with three major policy priorities: trade and investment for inclusive and interconnected growth, innovation and digitalization to promote transition to the formal and global economy, and sustainable growth for resilient development. She said that all of these priorities share similarities with the important policies that Taiwan’s government is actively promoting. APEC has also attached a high level of importance to cooperation between the public and private sectors in recent years, the spokesperson said, and President Lai thus invited Chairman Lin to attend the meeting as our leader’s representative. She said the president expressed hope that with his professional expertise and abundant experience, Chairman Lin will present a clear picture of Taiwan’s government policy for APEC and enhance Taiwan’s global visibility and importance.

Taiwan has been an active APEC participant since joining in 1991, and will not only conduct exchanges on issues at this meeting, but also continue to create opportunities for cooperation in a variety of fields in the future, Spokesperson Kuo said. Alongside other APEC members, she said, Taiwan will promote cooperation in such areas as green and digital transformation, digital innovation, digital health, small and medium-sized enterprise growth, women’s economic empowerment, inclusive growth, and food security. The spokesperson said that together, we will help bring about sustainable and mutual prosperity, and that we will show through action that Taiwan is willing and able to contribute even more to the world.