Taipei: Taiwan's delegation to the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers' meeting, which took place in Suzhou, China, last week, has announced its readiness to share Taiwan's experience in artificial intelligence (AI) development with other member economies, according to the Office of Trade Negotiations on Monday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the trade office, operating under the Executive Yuan, stated that APEC members collectively acknowledged that digital trade and AI are becoming pivotal in driving regional economic growth. Taiwan, focusing on comprehensive AI infrastructure initiatives to bolster business development, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises, is eager to share its insights in this domain.
The country has implemented AI to assist traditional industries in transforming and enhancing competitiveness. Additionally, Taiwan's customs agency is utilizing AI technology to identify high-risk goods, thereby improving the efficiency of customs clearance processes. The Taiwanese delegation, led by Minister without Portfolio and chief trade negotiator Yang Jen-ni, also expressed an interest in sharing Taiwan's experience with green economic transformation.
In alignment with the global objective of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Taiwan has launched a "Green Trade Information Website." This platform aims to support foreign buyers in identifying Taiwanese companies for collaboration and facilitate the purchase of Taiwanese products for international markets.
The trade office also reported that the APEC trade ministers' meeting highlighted concerns regarding the impact on supply chains caused by wars, blockades of shipping channels, and export restrictions. Taiwan, alongside other APEC members, agreed to advocate for a market-oriented economy and the integration of regional economic resources to bolster the resilience of supply chains and create an inclusive and predictable environment for economic development.
According to the trade office, Taiwan has urged APEC members to remain vigilant against market-distortion practices, non-market policies, and trade remedy measures associated with industrial policies. It emphasized the need for increased transparency and predictability to uphold fair competition.
Furthermore, to reduce digital trade costs, a majority of member countries support a permanent exemption from tariffs on electronic transmissions. Consequently, Taiwan encouraged member nations to keep monitoring developments related to this matter, emphasizing that the objective should be pursued with a long-term and predictable approach.