Lin Hsin-yi urges APEC members to work to bring an end to regional differences, creating prosperity for all

Mr. Lin Hsin-yi, who will represent Taiwan at this year's APEC informal leaders summit, said on Friday that he is honored to represent President Chen Shui-bian at the event. He expressed his regret, however, saying that he truly wished that it was President Chen himself who was standing before the media at the pre-departure press conference.

The 13th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) informal leaders summit will be held on November 18th and 19th in Pusan, South Korea. Mr. Lin, who is a presidential advisor and the convener of the Presidential Economic Advisory Panel, will represent the nation on behalf of President Chen Shui-bian. This will be the first time that Mr. Lin has represented Taiwan on behalf of President Chen at the APEC summit. He will lead a delegation of high-ranking government officials, including Minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development Hu Sheng-cheng, Finance Minister Lin Chuan, Minister of the Department of Health Hou Sheng-mou, APEC leader representative consultant Parris Chang, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Mr. Steve Ruey-Long Chen, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Y. C. Chen, and Deputy Minister of the Government Information Office William Yi. The group gathered at the GIO for a press conference prior to the departure.

Mr. Lin Hsin-yi said that a major theme of this year's APEC conference is "Build Bridges Over Differences." Whether it has been APEC's themes over the years or the various initiatives proposed by Taiwan between 1999 and 2004, Mr. Lin said the majority have been related to resolving differences. He cited examples of the breaking down of trade barriers and the reduction of customs tariffs and obstacles. Mr. Lin said Taiwan is concerned about the digital divide that has emerged in the region in the wake of technological and economic development. In response, Taiwan took the lead through its initiative entitled "Transform the Digital Divide into Digital Opportunities" and has backed up that initiative with a series of substantive measures and activities. In addition, the widening threat of avian flu throughout the region has exposed differences in the abilities of countries in areas of health safety and prevention, which need to be addressed. In 2003, Taiwan raised the APEC Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC) idea and this year will unveil an ADOC Plus initiative. All of these initiatives correspond to the spirit of this year's theme.

Mr. Lin stressed that resolving differences means pursuing equality, and that freedom and equality are the highest goals for humanity. Over the years, Taiwan has made many contributions in the international community in terms of pursuing equality and resolving differences, winning Taiwan applause among APEC members. Regrettably Taiwan, which has shown itself to be an APEC member that has upheld its international responsibilities, itself has long been limited and subjected to different standards in APEC and other international activities. The clearest example of this is the name under which Taiwan participates in APEC and the requirement that a representative for Taiwan's leader attend the leaders summit instead of the president himself.

In response to questions by the media as to whether he will meet with Chinese leader Hu Jintao or pass a written or verbal message to him from President Chen, Mr. Lin said that to this point he has not received any written correspondence from President Chen that is to be handed to Mr. Hu. Mr. Lin noted, however, that he will use every opportunity available to him to interact and communicate with the leaders, including Mr. Hu, attending the summit in an effort to articulate Taiwan's initiatives and actions, and seek recognition for such. He said that if time permits, he would be willing to offer up Taiwan's economic and trade experience to Mr. Hu, as well as express to the Chinese leader the hope of the Taiwan people to maintain peace.

The media asked Mr. Lin about his experience at the 2001 APEC conference in 2001, when Chinese foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan refused three times to allow Mr. Lin to speak. Mr. Lin said that while Tang Jiaxuan was creating an embarrassing situation for all, it occurred to him that what was most important was to maintain Taiwan's best interests. At the time, Taiwan sought to send former vice president Li Yuan-zu as its representative to the conference, but Mr. Li ultimately was not able to make the trip. Mr. Lin said related government agencies this year had already mapped out a number of scenarios regarding who would attend on behalf of President Chen. The media also asked Mr. Lin whether in addition to having to face political pressure from China at APEC whether Taiwan would face pressure on the economic front. Mr. Lin responded that other than the pressure associated with attending the summit there is no other pressure to speak of. If there were, Taiwan would not stand for it, he said.

Minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, Hu Sheng-cheng, said that in an effort to strengthen participation in APEC, exhibit the nation's contributions, and raise its international visibility, Taiwan has planned to unveil two initiatives at the 2005 APEC leaders summit. The first will be the "ADOC-plus Motion ¡V Creating Employment Opportunities and Sustainable Industries." Taiwan plans to create a multi-national information platform under the APEC Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC), which Taiwan has been implementing, to assist APEC members in fostering development of industries with local characteristics. This will create job opportunities and reduce the digital divide. The other initiative is "Community Creation, Sustained Prosperity." This reflects the APEC theme this year of "Towards One Community." The plan is aimed at assisting members in boosting their ability to establish communities as well as to share experiences.

In the area of economics and trade, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Mr. Steve Ruey-Long Chen said that the focal point of Taiwan's remarks will be on supporting the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations under the WTO and a unilateral declaration supporting the DDA. Taiwan will recognize the mid-term review of the Bogor Goals, discuss the contents of the Pusan roadmap, and plan the future direction of work in this regard. It will also recognize the APEC financial and organizational structure reform plan forwarded by senior officers that is aimed at boosting efficiency within APEC.

Members of the press asked Mr. Chen questions regarding Free Trade Agreements and Regional Trade Agreements, and whether Taiwan would not be able to sign such pacts with other countries due to limitations placed on Taiwan's national name. Mr. Chen responded by saying that Taiwan has already signed bilateral free trade agreements with Panama and Guatemala. It is also presently in contact with the United States on such an accord. However, he noted that many nations seek to sign such agreements with the United States and that Washington has limited resources to carry out negotiations on such pacts. Whether Taiwan is able to be considered a priority for the United States in signing such a deal depends on whether it can muster support from American administrative agencies, the Congress and the corporate sector. Another variable whether Taiwan itself is prepared to enter into such an agreement. As a result, the issue of Taiwan's name has little impact on whether Taiwan is able to ultimately ink free trade agreements, he said, adding that Taiwan has already made arrangements concerning the issue of its name. Presently four APEC member nations (Singapore, New Zealand, Brunei and Chile) have signed the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, known as the P4. The agreement provides a basis to expand its member parties in the future.

As to the rise of East-Asianism and APEC development, and Taiwan's response to such topics, Mr. Chen said that while there are all types of bilateral and regional conferences in the Asia-Pacific, APEC is the most well disciplined of the groupings and operates in the smoothest manner. Mr. Chen said that as a member of APEC, Taiwan will continue to actively take part in APEC-initiated efforts focusing on trade and investment liberalization in order to reach the Bogor Goals. He added that the World Trade Organization is still the world's most important organization for multilateral trade. Presently, the most important work for countries is to successfully conclude the Doha round of negotiations. This is in the best economic and trade interests of Taiwan and the overwhelming majority of WTO members, Mr. Chen said.

Minister of the Department of Health Hou Sheng-mou said that in terms of contributions made in the area of health, most Asian nations over the past two years have witnessed outbreaks of the high pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. Given that the Asian avian influenza is showing signs of spreading, the Department of Health has drafted a prevention plan that includes "three key strategies and four lines of prevention." It is hoped that this preparation work will result in fewer people contracting the influenza and lessen the social and economic blow caused by any outbreak.

Finance Minister Lin Chuan said that in order to effectively counter terrorism, the nation has implemented a number of anti-terrorism measures, including the creation of the Executive Yuan's Anti-Terrorism Movement Monitoring Office, strengthening of export controls on strategic high-technology products, amendments to regulations that have strengthened the money-laundering prevention mechanism, financial support to international organizations cooperating in fighting terrorism, strengthening the inspection of cargo and persons traveling across Taiwan's borders and executing the Cargo Safety Project. All of these efforts have been quite successful, he said.

Vice Minister of the Government Information Office William Yi stated that in light of this year's APEC themes, Taiwan has produced a "Re-energize with the Taiwan Experience" advertisement. A battery in the shape of Taiwan highlights the nation's vibrant economic and technological development. The creative design of the advertisement stresses that Taiwan's economy and vitality is inexhaustible and that Taiwan is actively participating in APEC activities in an effort to exhibit its willingness to make a contribution. The full page color advertisement will be printed in the November 14th Asian editions of Time magazine and Fortune magazine, ahead of the leaders summit. To raise Taiwan's international visibility during the APEC conference, the GIO has contracted to affix a "Chinese Taipei Stands Tall" advertisement on luggage carts at the Pusan ¡V Kimhae International Airport to attract attention to Taiwan. The GIO will also arrange interviews of the nation's leaders for members of the international media.