President Lai tasks tech titan Stan Shih with APEC mission to China
TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday (Nov. 12) dispatched Acer founder Stan Shih (施振榮) to represent the island at next week's APEC summit in Shenzhen, China. Lai tasked the veteran tech leader with asserting Taiwan's "indispensable" role in global AI and semiconductor supply chains amid a diplomatic dispute over Beijing's breach of invitation protocol.
At a pre-departure press conference, President Lai outlined three missions for Shih: amplifying Taiwan's voice in international forums, highlighting the island's critical position in semiconductor supply chains, and demonstrating Taiwan's commitment to regional stability.
"Taiwan plays a critical role in the semiconductor supply chain and is an indispensable partner for global AI innovation and digital transformation," Lai said, his tone measured and emphatic. "Through the APEC platform, Taiwan will continue to promote global technology cooperation and actively build a resilient, reliable AI technology supply chain."
The announcement came as Taiwan's Foreign Ministry protested China's decision to send the summit invitation by email rather than dispatching a special envoy, as is customary. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) confirmed the protocol breach earlier this week.
Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said Taiwan, as a full APEC member, has the right to participate fully in all summit activities. She called on China to honor its written guarantees ensuring the delegation's safety and equal participation.
"No member should use unilateral political conditions to interfere with other members' participation," Kuo told reporters after the press conference. Taiwan's participation is based on the 1991 membership memorandum and is "unrelated to the so-called 'One China principle,'" she added.
Shih, 82, founded Acer in 1976 and previously served as Taiwan's APEC representative at the 2007 Sydney summit. His wife, Carolyn Yeh (葉紫華), who accompanied him to Sydney 19 years ago, joined him on stage at Thursday's ceremony and will travel with him to Shenzhen.
Shih said artificial intelligence is a key topic at this year's APEC and an area where Taiwan excels. "As an indispensable partner for global AI, Taiwan will be able to exert a steady and trustworthy force on the international stage," he said, his voice carrying the quiet confidence of a veteran industrialist, adding he felt "deeply aware of the heavy responsibility" of representing Taiwan 19 years after his last APEC appearance.
The summit is scheduled for Nov. 18-19. The delegation includes Acer Chairman Jason Chen (陳俊聖) and Quanta Computer CTO Peter Chang (張嘉淵), both APEC Business Advisory Council representatives.
To avoid potential interference by the Chinese host, the delegation's post-summit press conference may be held after returning to Taiwan rather than in Shenzhen, the Commercial Times reported.
Kuo said the delegation would demand immediate corrections if it encounters unfair treatment. "We will defend our nation's rights," she said. ◼