The Presidential Office yesterday announced that it would send businessman and senior presidential adviser Lin Hsin-i (林信義) to attend this year’s APEC summit next month.
Lin would attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in the Peruvian capital, Lima, scheduled for Nov. 15 and 16 as President William Lai’s (賴清德) envoy to the meeting, a statement from the Presidential Office said.
Presidents have been unable to attend the forum’s leaders’ summit — even though it is a full APEC member — due to pressure from China.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan instead has traditionally appointed a prominent figure to represent the president.
Lin previously attended three APEC meetings on behalf of Taiwan — in Brunei in 2000, China in 2001 and South Korea in 2005 — during the Democratic Progressive Party administration of then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
Lin is also chairman of Taiwania Capital Management Corp, and served as minister of economic affairs between 2000 and 2002, and vice premier between 2002 and 2004 as part of the Chen administration.
Lai asked Lin to attend the meeting to use his “professional and abundant experience to fully expound the meaning of the government’s policies” and “effectively increase Taiwan’s visibility and importance” at the meeting, the statement said.
The trip would also be aimed at promoting cooperation on “green digital transformations, digital innovation, digital health, small and medium-sized enterprise growth, women’s economic empowerment, inclusive growth and food security,” it added.
Taiwan has participated in APEC meetings every year since it joined in 1991.
Morris Chang (張忠謀), founder of chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, attended the leaders’ summit on behalf of then-president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) every year from 2018 to last year.
Local media reported last week that Lai initially chose former vice president and premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend this year’s APEC summit, but the selection was rejected by Peru at Beijing’s behest.
The government did not deny the report.
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