Chern-Chyi C.C. Chen, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, will lead a delegation from August 20-21 to attend the 29th APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meetingin Seattle, United States, and share policy experiences of supporting SMEs in engaging with overseas business opportunities and undergoing just green transitions.

The theme of this year is Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All,and the meeting will address four main topics, which are: Empowering MSMEs in the Global Marketplace through Access to Global Value Chains, Empowering MSMEs in the Global Marketplace through Digital Tools and Technologies, MSMEs and Green Transition,and    Expanding Opportunity for Those with Untapped Economic Potential. Deputy Minister Chen will share our successful experiences of empowering SMEs and women to access global value chains and demonstrate our government's key role in effectively assisting SMEs to enter the global market.

Additionally, on the topic of green transformation, Deputy Minister Chen will call for APEC economies to consider that the process of green transformation inevitably poses challenges to traditional enterprises and workers, and that a just transition will be an important issue to all economies. Taiwan has adopted relevant policies and actions to assist SMEs in adapting, thereby achieving a just green transition that leaves no one behind.

In addition, APEC has emphasized women empowerment, so for the first time in 10 years, a joint session of the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy (HLPDWE) and SMEMM will be held to underscore the importance of engaging with untapped resources, such as SMEs and women entrepreneurs. Minister without Portfolio Lo Ping-Cheng and Deputy Minister Chen will jointly attend the meeting.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs has stated that women's economic participation is crucial for social security and economic resilience. Representatives from Taiwan will share recent experiences in promoting women's entrepreneurship and explain the government's policies to enhance women's labor participation and entrepreneurial growth. Furthermore, women in Taiwan play an important role in social and public affairs. The government will continue to assist women in exerting their social influence, encouraging the member economies present to understand Taiwan's efforts in promoting inclusive growth through women's empowerment.