圖2

The "APEC Local Innovation Ecosystem Forum: Enhancing Local Industry Clustering and Social Innovation with International Reach" was co-host by Chinese Taipei and the Philippines on October 29. Through panel discussions, best-practice sharing and mentoring activities, the Forum expects to accelerate knowledge accumulation and capacity building of SMEs, as well as development of local innovation ecosystems.

Due to the growing disparity of urban and local development, financial and human capital gradually migrate and concentrate in cities. Economic activities in local areas therefore face challenges of lag or stagnation. To respond to the aforementioned problems, and to echo the 2019 APEC theme of "Connecting People, Building the Future" with the priority of "Women, SMEs and Inclusive Growth", Chinese Taipei proposed the "APEC Local Innovation Ecosystem Initiative: Revitalization for Inclusive Growth and a Sustainable Future". 

The Initiative aims at stimulating the aforementioned Local Innovation Ecosystem, with a view to encouraging industrial clusters to drive local-innovation developments. It is also expected to solve the social issues related to local development via social innovation for the purpose of sustainable development. 

This Initiative is to be jointly implemented by Chinese Taipei, Russia, Thailand and the Philippines, which includes the hosting of a series of four events in relation to local innovation ecosystems. Three events have been successfully held in Tomsk (Russia) and Taipei (Chinese Taipei) this June, as well as in Bangkok (Thailand) this August. This forum, which is co-hosted by Chinese Taipei and the Philippines, is the fourth and the last event for the year 2019.

Focusing on MSME Innovation and Global Networking, Heading Together to the Goal of Sustainable Development
The event is kicked off by Ms. Wen-Ling SU, Deputy Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration (SMEA), and Mr. Jerry Clavesillas, Director, Bureau of SME Development, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippines. In her opening remarks, Ms. SU indicates that, to achieve the goal of "Grand Opportunities, Equal Benefits", it is urgent to look for solutions to the aforementioned growing disparity of urban and local development. Co-implementing the APEC Local Innovation Initiative with the Philippines is certainly regarded as a concrete action to respond to the task.

This forum focuses on the themes of "Regional Inclusive Innovation Centers", and "From Local Action to Global Networks: Women's Empowerment, Innovations and Inclusive Growth". Relevant panel discussions will share ideas and opinions in terms of Inclusive Innovation, Social Innovation, Women Empowerment, and Local Markets' Connection to the Global Network. It is also worth noting that the start-ups which will present their practices at the showcase session will not only receive mentors' advice on their business models, but also extend their information and business networking with the representatives from different sectors of APEC economies.  

Through the promotion of the Local Ecosystem Innovation Initiative, profound APEC resources are endorsed to establish a grand platform for cross-border information sharing and opinion exchange, with the objective of looking for strategies for revitalizing local industrial clusters. Moreover, it is also to strengthen friendship and collaboration with other APEC economies to promote knowledge accumulation, capacity building and impact dissemination of local innovation ecosystems, in order to fulfil the commitment toward inclusive development. 

For further details, or to arrange possible media interviews, please contact:
Ms. Wen-Ling Su
Deputy Director General, Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, MOEA
02-2368-0816＃203
wenling@moea.gov.tw

Ms. Hsin-Yi Tseng
Section Chief, Policy Planning Division, Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, MOEA
02-2366-2251
thy@moea.gov.tw