Taipei, Aug. 24 (CNA) Taiwan should upgrade its participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to a "national strategic level" and seek an alternative way in the Asia-Pacific regional architecture in addition to more aggressive APEC participation, an academic said Friday in a seminar.
As East Asian countries all recognize that stability and economic development are priorities in the region, cases of conflict of interest between countries have been also increasing, making East Asia a fast-changing region, said Yang Yung-ming, a professor at National Taiwan University.
Since APEC is the only regional forum in which Taiwan is admitted as a full member, the government should take advantage of the opportunity and put in more effort, Yang said.
"To avoid being marginalized in the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan should put in more resources to APEC participation and try to work out alternative ways of increasing regional participation, such as participating in other regional arrangements, " echoed Johnny Chiang, a professor at Soochow University.
APEC, as the main forum in the Asia-Pacific region, is facing internal and external challenges in the new regional architecture, in which the U.S. is no longer the only architect. This is why Taiwan should come up with new thinking, according to Chiang.
It will take networking and professionalism to expand the connection and impact in the region so Taiwan can take the next step in international participation, Yang said.
The APEC Leaders Week meeting will be held in Sydney Sept. 2-9, with the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting the highlight of the event.
The seminar on APEC issues was organized by the Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center to promote public awareness and come up with new ideas and recommendations.