Taiwan advances SME innovation via APEC forum in Philippines

2019/10/31

An innovation ecosystem forum co-organized by Taiwan under the auspices of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation took place Oct. 29 in Manila, spotlighting the government’s commitment to bridging the regional urban-rural development divide while expanding related exchanges among APEC member economies.
 
 Implemented by the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry, the daylong event involved around 100 participants. Discussions centered on topics like innovation centers and women’s empowerment en route to creating a more inclusive regional economy.
 
 Other objectives of the forum included accelerating knowledge sharing and capacity building of small and medium enterprises, as well as developing strategies for spurring grassroots social innovation. Another highlight was a showcase session for startup representatives to share best practices while receiving feedback on business models from leaders of major firms.
 
 SMEA Deputy Director-General Su Wen-ling said during the forum that such events are an effective way of building consensus on drafting policies aimed at leveling the opportunity playing field for residents of city and country areas.
 
 Taiwan will continue working with its like-minded APEC partners in fostering greater engagement with a view to providing financially viable openings for SMEs throughout the region, Su added.
 
 Since joining APEC in 1991, Taiwan has made substantial contributions to the regional body. These span a broad spectrum of areas, including disaster prevention, food security, SME development and women’s empowerment.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)