TSMC founder Chang Chung-mou (second from left) will represent Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (centre) at next month's APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea.Taiwan's National Development Council chairperson Chen Meiling (first from left), Political Councilor of the Executive Yuan in charge of economic affairs Deng Zhenzhong (second from right) and Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Rongjin (first from right) will accompany them.(Photo by Huang Shunjie)
The theme of this year's APEC is to seize inclusive opportunities and embrace the digital future. Tsai Ing-wen assigned Zhang Zhongmou two tasks, namely, dialogue with representatives of various countries and explore cooperation opportunities, and promote Taiwan's digital economic strength and ideas.
Zhang Zhongmou, the godfather of Taiwan semiconductors, will represent President Tsai Ing-wen at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting to be held in Papua New Guinea next month.This is also the second time that Zhang Zhongmou participated in the summit as the representative of Taiwan's leaders after representing former President Chen Shui-bian in 2006.
According to the analysis, against the background of stagnant cross-strait relations and upcoming elections in Taiwan, the DPP government’s seeking emergency rescue of 87-year-old Zhang Zhongmou can be said to be a safety card, but it also highlights the regression of the two sides to 12.predicament years ago.
Since James Soong, who represented Tsai Ing-wen in the presidential office for the past two years and chairman of the People First Party, publicly stated in July this year that he has no intention to serve as a leader representative, public opinion has begun to speculate on a new candidate.In addition to Zhang Zhongmou, the founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. who retired four months ago, Lin Quan, the former Premier of the Executive Council, and Peng Huainan, the former Governor of the Central Bank who stepped down in February this year, are all on the hot list.
When Tsai Ing-wen announced the candidate at the presidential palace yesterday morning, she explained that Zhang Zhongmou was invited to be the leader representative mainly to take advantage of his lofty status in the international industry.Tsai Ing-wen also described Zhang Zhongmou as a consensus in Taiwan, and he is widely represented in the government, civil society, and business circles. If he is invited to take the lead, all walks of life will highly agree.
In addition, the theme of this year's APEC is to seize inclusive opportunities and embrace the digital future. Zhang Zhongmou, who has made outstanding contributions to Taiwan's technology industry and digital development for many years, will represent Taiwan and exchange views with world leaders on related issues. He is absolutely the best candidate.Tsai Ing-wen also assigned Zhang Zhongmou two tasks, that is, to have dialogue with representatives of various countries and explore cooperation opportunities, and to promote Taiwan's digital economic strength and ideas.
As a member of APEC, the APEC meeting is one of the few international events that Taiwan can participate in, and the choice of leader representatives reflects the ups and downs of cross-strait relations.Every year at the summit, the interaction between Taiwan representatives and mainland leaders has always been the focus of most attention on the island.
In 2006, Chen Shui-bian, who was in a crisis of governance due to the scandal, announced the abolition of the National Unification Committee and the termination of the National Unification Program, which was regarded as the initiation of de jure Taiwan independence and plunged cross-strait relations into turmoil.But that year, Zhang Zhongmou served as the APEC leader representative for the first time. Not only did he interact naturally with the then US President Bush, but also the then Mainland President Hu Jintao also took the initiative to express to him that he hoped that the cross-strait economy would continue to develop and that other issues would be resolved step by step.The situation in the Taiwan Strait has given a shot in the arm.
Reflecting cross-strait relations back to 12 years ago
Xie Jinhe, chairman of Caixin Media who often commented on the current situation, believes that Zhang Zhongmou's appointment as the leader representative this year is an excellent card, because Zhang Zhongmou's identity is not politically sensitive, and he is the driving force of the world's largest semiconductor factory, and he plans to develop with the power of the whole countryIt is very unlikely that the mainland of the chip industry will reject Zhang Zhongmou.
Some commentators believe that since local elections are approaching at the end of the year, it is better for the DPP to do more than to do less, so they played Zhang Zhongmou's safety card, but it also reflects that cross-strait relations have returned to the original point 12 years ago.
Cross-strait relations have deteriorated due to Tsai Ing-wen's refusal to recognize the 1992 Consensus, and Beijing has frequently exerted military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan.Taiwan Foreign Minister Wu Zhaoxie said in an exclusive interview with the Freedom Times last month that the other side has made many small moves recently, including attempts to obstruct Taiwan's participation in APEC.
As for the second mission to APEC, Zhang Zhongmou said yesterday that he accepted the mission with a willingness to accept it.He pointed out that as an important part of the global digital economy supply chain, Taiwan will play an important role in the future. However, in the nationalist environment where big countries are chanting their own manufacturing and their own country first, small economies including Taiwan are facing considerable challenges.challenge.He said there would be an exchange of views with world leaders on these challenges.
James Soong, who has been ridiculed by blue and green for being the leader's representative, blessed Zhang Zhongmou yesterday and emphasized that he has no grievances or complaints.But he asked for false news that the Chinese presidents apologized to those whose leaders snubbed him during the APEC meeting.
