Academics, officials and industry experts from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies are all smiles at the workshop on inclusive energy transition Aug. 5-6 in Taipei City. (Photo courtesy of Taiwan Institute of Economic Research)
 

Taiwan is utilizing its know-how to promote regional growth via the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

In August, more than 80 academics, officials and industry experts from 12 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies gathered in Taipei City for the Workshop on the Path to Inclusive Energy Transition in the APEC Region. Staged by the Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), the event focused on how gender differences can influence efforts for energy transition and possible avenues for increasing women’s participation in the sector.

Aisha Bukhari, vice president of Canada-based Women in Renewable Energy, was among the participants. “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our generation, and we need people of all genders, races, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds to come together to solve it,” she said. “It’s a pleasure to learn about the solutions that leaders from various organizations like government agencies, nonprofits and startups are creating to make energy accessible to all.”

Economic empowerment and greater inclusion of women in regional economies are high on APEC’s agenda. Since joining the intergovernmental forum in 1991, Taiwan has spearheaded a broad range of initiatives in support of these and other goals. Examples in the past year include around 30 conferences, forums, seminars, training courses and workshops encompassing such areas as digital innovation, disease prevention, entrepreneurship, food security, green energy, human capital development, information and communication technology (ICT), and small and medium enterprises (SME).
 

The highly concentrated silk fibroin solution made from silkworm cocoons developed by Life Star International Ltd. can support stem cell adhesion and promote tissue repair. (Photo courtesy of Life Star International Ltd. and Chen Mei-ling)
 

Making a Mark

Taiwan’s government officials attend up to 150 APEC meetings every year to discuss matters of mutual concern with other member economies and exchange ideas on best practices and policymaking. Jeff Lin (林建甫), executive director of the Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center (CTASC), said that the number of public agencies participating in APEC meetings continues to grow, including those overseeing agriculture, education, health and national development, as well as economic, foreign and labor affairs, reflecting the country’s deepening involvement in the organization.

CTASC, which is hosted by Taipei-headquartered think tank Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, coordinates APEC-related education, outreach and training programs. The center conducts in-depth analysis on the organization’s policy priorities and works closely with government entities to craft relevant international programs in support of these objectives.

Taiwan’s exclusion from the U.N. means it cannot officially participate in the world body’s activities, mechanisms and meetings, substantially limiting its international presence. APEC is therefore a vital opportunity for the country to interact directly with global leaders and foster close friendships.

“Through APEC, Taiwan can assist developing countries while enhancing the nation’s international image and status,” Lin said. Taiwan’s know-how in fields like ICT and health care can help people throughout the Asia-Pacific work toward transforming the region into a global economic and trading powerhouse, he added.
 

Chen An-nung of the Taipei-based Impct Coffee gives a presentation at the APEC IncluNext Week, comprising the APEC Local Innovation Ecosystem Forum and APEC SME O2O Summit, June 24-27 in Taipei. (Photo courtesy of Impct Coffee)
 

Women in Work

As part of its long-standing efforts to promote the role of women in economic development, Taiwan has dispatched some of its top female business leaders to APEC events to share their experiences and expertise. Melody Wang (王美蓁‬), president of New Taipei City-based Life Star International Ltd., attended the 2018 APEC Women and the Economy Forum in Papua New Guinea as a member of the country’s 15-strong delegation.

Wang, who shared her entrepreneurial skills in a public-private dialogue session on reducing barriers to women’s involvement in global trade, was also selected to compete for the APEC Best Award. “Attending such an event is a special opportunity to come face to face with leading academics, industry professionals and political leaders,” she said. “I felt extremely honored to represent and increase the visibility of Taiwan on the international stage.”

Her presentation touched on the 30 years of experience Wang has gathered working in the beauty, biotechnology, food and beverage, information technology and solar energy sectors and how to create effective strategies to fuel business growth while benefiting as many stakeholders as possible. She drew on her know-how from building Life Star, a three-year-old startup that uses biomedical innovations to develop raw materials for pharmaceuticals, including a highly concentrated silk fibroin solution made from silkworm cocoons that can support stem cell adhesion and promote tissue repair.

By discussing her work at the APEC business sessions, Wang hopes to encourage women to pursue higher education and better equip themselves for success. “Earning your own stable income opens a world of opportunity and improves overall quality of life,” she said.

Another Taiwan-led project that has found a home in APEC is the Online-to-Offline (O2O) Initiative implemented by the MOEA’s Small and Medium Enterprise Administration. Running from 2016 to 2019, it strives to improve the digital competitiveness and resilience of SMEs in the Asia-Pacific. A range of exhibitions, forums, summits and workshops have been organized in Taiwan and other co-sponsoring economies including Chile, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines as part of the program.

Lin said the O2O initiative is particularly successful as it enhances the ability of SMEs to use ICT, helping to close the digital divide and promoting public-private partnerships that can build an ecosystem suited to the online economy. “The activities provide mentoring, networking and marketing opportunities,” he added.
 

Children and staff at a kindergarten established in El Salvador by Impct Coffee are pictures of happiness as they raise their hands to the sky. The company puts 25 percent of its revenue toward such projects in countries it partners with to procure beans. (Photo courtesy of Impct Coffee)
 

Taipei Events

This year, the APEC IncluNext Week comprising the APEC Local Innovation Ecosystem Forum and APEC SME O2O Summit was held in Taipei. These meetings saw more than 500 public and private sector representatives from over 10 APEC member economies come together to discuss topics ranging from local economic revitalization policies to digital transformation trends.

One of the highlights was a competition wherein 30 domestic and foreign startups pitched solutions in areas like agriculture and ICT. Impct Coffee, based in Taipei, was among the winners. It seeks to procure beans directly from farmers in developing nations at reasonable prices and uses 25 percent of its revenues to fund the construction of preschools in those countries’ impoverished communities. To date, it has helped build seven kindergartens in Taiwan’s allies Guatemala and Honduras, as well as El Salvador and South Africa.

“There’s growing awareness that early childhood education programs have long-term benefits,” said Chen An-nung (陳安穠‬), head of Impct’s client relationship management team. “Our business model is designed to help ensure underprivileged children have access to quality preschool education.”

The social enterprise was founded by Chen and her three classmates from Honduras, Canada and El Salvador at Taipei-based National Chengchi University after they won the US$1 million Hult Prize, a competition for international students that looks to empower young people toward solving some of the world’s most pressing social problems.

Chen is also honored to have taken part in the APEC meeting. “It’s an incredible experience and opportunity for me to share our company’s business ideas with representatives from governments, multinational corporations and venture capital firms,” she said. “Our work on bridging the urban-rural divide and empowering children through education was well received.”

In the almost 30 years since Taiwan joined APEC, the country’s participation has seen win-win outcomes for all involved. “It’s given us an opportunity to obtain firsthand information about the latest regional trends,” CTASC’s Lin said. “The many initiatives we’ve implemented demonstrate Taiwan Can Help contribute to building a more inclusive and sustainable Asia-Pacific.”