Thu, Nov 06, 2025 page8

• Taiwan’s shifting optics at APEC

  • By Edwin Yang 楊聰榮
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  When presidential adviser Lin Hsin-i (林信義), Taiwan’s envoy to this year’s APEC summit in South Korea, arrived at the opening session on Friday last week, the official broadcast screen bore the name “Taiwan.” Also featured were the national flag, the labels “major economic partner” and “chips sector competitor,” as well as population and GDP statistics of 23.3 million and US$805 billion.

  It is more than just a new look — it is an open acknowledgement of Taiwan’s economic strength and technological standing. As host, South Korea has delivered a tactful and economically minded framing, reflecting the pragmatic recognition of Taiwan’s role amid a global supply chain restructuring and growing geopolitical risks.

  In 1991, Taiwan joined APEC under the name “Chinese Taipei” and has long been constrained by China’s enforcement of its “one China” principle. Although historically permitted to attend, everything from Taiwan’s name, flag and official wording has been subject to Chinese-enforced restrictions and obfuscations. For APEC’s media broadcast to display the name “Taiwan” and the national flag is more than a diplomatic nicety.

  It is also not an actual political concession, but is a pivot to face economic reality. Taiwan holds a more than 60 percent share in the global wafer foundry business, and its semiconductors are an indispensable part of the global supply chain. South Korean firms, such as Samsung Electronics Co and SK Hynix Inc, are highly dependent on Taiwan’s industrial network, which incentivizes South Korea to show its respect and cooperative attitude toward Taiwan on the global stage.

  The image of Lin greeting South Korean President Lee Jae-myung with the on-screen labels was striking — a true breakthrough moment for the optics and language surrounding Taiwan at APEC. The scene of diplomacy served as a boost for Taiwan’s visibility and as an expression of its industry-driven soft power. Domestically, the moment was reported as not only indicative of South Korea’s open-mindedness, but also that Taiwan’s technological strength is now reshaping international media narratives. As the world faces twin strategic competition challenges over chips in the artificial intelligence (AI) and energy sectors, Taiwan’s role is shifting from that of a passive participant to a key driver in the global restructuring.

  Public opinion in the US, Japan and Europe has widely seen the shift as a reappraisal of Taiwan’s position by nations in the Asia-Pacific region. US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent was also present, with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) arriving last — the pair’s noticeable lack of interaction was in clear contrast to the scene of Lee and Lin. Chinese state media quietly reiterated its “one China” principle, while South Korean media talked up the professional neutrality of the host.

  The interdependency between Taiwan and South Korea in semiconductor cooperation amid increasing global concern over supply chain security affirms a genuine strategic depth to an otherwise symbolic breakthrough moment. No longer just an observer of geopolitics, Taiwan has emerged as a stabilizing pillar of the regional economy.

  For Taiwan, the moment is a symbol of sovereignty, international recognition and industry competitiveness. Lin’s speech focused on human-centered AI development and industry collaboration, successfully impressing upon the audience an image of Taiwan’s resilience and relevant contributions.

  Domestically, it is likely to spark a re-examination of the relationship between diplomacy and economics, and a pragmatic appreciation of industry as diplomatic leverage to expand participation in multilateral frameworks — for instance, advancing membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or deepening Taiwan-US trade agreements. Taiwan must maintain momentum with a practical and low-profile approach, while guarding against potential countermeasures from China.

  The visual turnaround of Taiwan’s representation at the APEC summit was evidence that Taiwan’s economic strength transcends its constraints on nomenclature, and of its indispensable role as partner and competitor in the Asia-Pacific region.

  Edwin Yang is an associate professor at National Taiwan Normal University and chairman of the Central Taiwan Association of University Professors.

  Translated by Gilda Knox Streader
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