World leaders attending the APEC meeting in Bangkok have expressed “very strong expectations” that regional peace and stability would continue to be upheld, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀), Taiwan’s representative to APEC, told an international news conference yesterday.
Chang was responding to media questions about whether geopolitical tensions would be lowered by Taiwan’s attendance at the regional event.
Neither he nor world leaders and representatives he spoke with had explicitly brought up such issues, “but there is no doubt” that there are such expectations, he said.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan’s APEC delegation via CNA
He told reporters that he had conveyed without fail the messages President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) had asked him to share in both of his speeches at the summit.
The APEC event was “quite enjoyable” and he considered his task “fulfilled in all ways,” he said, adding that he met with more people than at the 2018 APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea.
In addition to meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍) and Japanese Prime Minister Fushida Kumio, Chang said he had crossed paths with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in a lounge area on the first day and that they had exchanged greetings.
Photo:Reuters
“I congratulated him on the success of the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th congress,” Chang said, adding that Xi asked after his health and mentioned that he remembered meeting Chang in Papua New Guinea four years ago.
“It was a very happy, polite interaction,” Chang said, adding that tensions across the Taiwan Strait were not discussed.
“I met with over half of all 21 leaders and representatives and exchanged opinions with them,” Chang said.
Chang said he discussed TSMC’s new US$12 billion plant in Arizona with Harris at a separate meeting on the summit’s sidelines.
He told Harris that Taiwan has invited US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to a “tool-in” ceremony for the plant on Dec. 6, although production would not start immediately, he said, adding Harris focused mostly on semiconductors during their conversation and welcomed TSMC’s investment in Arizona.
During the exchange, Harris reiterated the US’ resolve to support and help Taiwan, he said.
Chang did not indicate if anything more was said on that issue.
Additional reporting by Reuters and CNA
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old