Chinese Taipei Contributes To Inclusive And Sustainable Growth Initiatives
Chinese Taipei has contributed USD 1.5 million in funding to support APEC’s economic and technical cooperation initiatives, particularly members’ capacity building needs and to promote regional economic integration and inclusive and sustainable growth by doubling its contribution of USD 750,000 in 2019.
The contribution was confirmed in a Memorandum of Understanding signed virtually by Bob Loong-jin Chen, Chinese Taipei’s APEC Senior Official, and Dr Rebecca Sta Maria, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, a week before the start of the 2020 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.
“Chinese Taipei is committed to the shared responsibility in APEC’s collective response to the devastating COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chen. “We wish to reaffirm our solidarity with all fellow economies as we continue to work closely and tirelessly together to find solutions to the current crisis, mitigating its impact, preventing its recurrence and recovering better together.”
APEC projects are important for taking forward the policy direction set by APEC Economic Leaders and Ministers creating tangible benefits for people living in the Asia-Pacific region. The forum provides funding for over 100 projects each year, with around USD 16.5 million available in 2020.
Around USD 1 million of the contribution will be directed to support APEC activities in the area of human security which includes health security, emergency preparedness as well as energy and trade security.
Additional funding will go to efforts to improve the growth of the digital economy in the region, improving management of land and sea-based sources of marine debris to prevent and reduce marine debris and supporting the APEC Policy Support Unit, the research and analysis arm for APEC.
“We will recover better and thrive when we work and collaborate closer together, which is the strength of APEC as a forum,” said Dr Rebecca Sta Maria, Executive Director of APEC Secretariat. “Support for capacity building initiatives focused on emergency preparedness and health will help APEC build a much more resilient environment for our people in the region.“