This Informal Retreat has been called to discuss how Asia-Pacific can collaborate to move through the COVID health crisis, and to accelerate the post-COVID economic recovery. Chinese Taipei will address these two topics specifically.
On COVID-19, Chinese Taipei has had an excellent record so far. With a population of 23 million, over the last year and half, and in spite of a recent surge which has now abated, we have had a total of about fifteen thousand infected cases (.07% of the population), and 763 deaths (3 out of one hundred thousand).
We believe that our experience and know-how gained can help other APEC members. We have been, and continue to be willing to help. We have donated masks and other medical supplies to other APEC members in the past and are ready and willing to share our anti-COVID-19 know-how with you.
At the same time, WE NEED HELP! Our vaccination coverage at present is less than 20%. Although the U.S. and Japan have been generous in donating vaccines to us, and our private institutions have succeeded in procuring ten million doses of vaccines, we still need more vaccines, and need them sooner! Most other APEC members need help as well. We must ask for help from the APEC members that possess and produce more vaccines than they themselves need.
On re-vitalizing Post-COVID economy, Chinese Taipei urges free trade among APEC members and in the world, after giving consideration to vital national security needs.
In the past seven decades, free trade has enabled vibrant growth in most APEC economies. Free trade is merely a way in which each APEC economy contributes its own competitive advantage and every APEC member benefits.
Recently, however, we note with concern the tendency to want self-sufficiency or “on-shoring” of semiconductor chips. We must point out that in the past many decades free trade has greatly helped the advance of semiconductor technology. In turn, the ever greater complexity of the technology has caused the supply chain to go “off-shore”.
It would be highly impractical to try to turn back the clock. If it is tried, cost will go up and technology advance may slow. What may happen is that after hundreds of billions and many years have been spent, the result will still be a not-quite-self-sufficient, and high-cost supply chain.
We do recognize national security concerns, and believe that for security applications, a self-sufficient supply chain within one’s own borders is prudent. However, for the much larger civilian market, a supply chain substantially based on free trade system is by far the best approach.
In summary, on COVID-19, Chinese Taipei can help, is ready and willing to help with its know-how, but also needs more vaccines sooner, along with many other APEC members. On Post-COVID economic re-vitalization, Chinese Taipei urges free trade, after giving consideration to vital national security concerns.
(中文翻譯)
此次非正式領袖會議召開的目的是討論亞太地區應如何合作以度過新型冠狀病毒（COVID-19）疫情危機，並加速疫後經濟復甦。中華台北將就這兩個議題表達看法。
面對新型冠狀病毒（COVID-19）疫情，中華台北迄今維持傑出防疫紀錄。我們有兩千三百萬人口，儘管近期疫情曾一度升溫，但目前業已趨緩，在過去超過一年半的時間中，總確診病例數約為一萬五千例（佔總人口0.07%），其中死亡病例數為763例（約為十萬分之三）。
相信我們在過程中得到的經驗與知識能夠協助其他APEC成員。我們持續地願意提供協助。過去我們曾捐贈口罩與其他醫療物資予其他APEC成員，現在也準備好與你們分享我們抗疫的知識。
同時，我們也需要幫助！目前我們的疫苗注射覆蓋率低於20%。雖然美國與日本已慷慨捐贈疫苗，我們的民間機構也已成功採購一千萬劑，我們仍然需要更多數量的疫苗，而且需要儘快取得！其他多數的APEC成員也需要幫助。我們需要向目前擁有並生產超過他們自身所需疫苗數量的APEC成員尋求協助。
針對疫後經濟復甦，中華台北敦促APEC成員，在考慮重要國家安全需求後，彼此間及與全球進行自由貿易。
在過去70年，自由貿易使多數APEC經濟體蓬勃發展。自由貿易僅是各APEC經濟體貢獻自己的競爭優勢，而其他APEC成員藉此受惠的方法。
然而近來，我們很關切要求「境內」半導體晶片自給自足的趨勢。我們必需指出，過去數十年的自由貿易大幅促進半導體技術發展。因此，越趨複雜的技術致使供應鏈走向「境外」。
試圖讓時光倒流是相當不切實際的，如果嘗試讓時光倒流，不僅成本將會提升以及技術的進步可能放緩。在花費了數千億與許多年的時間之後，結果仍將是無法充分自給自足且成本很高的供應鏈。
我們認同國家安全的顧慮確實存在，也相信針對國安應用，在國境內存有一個能夠自給自足的供應鏈是審慎的作法。然而，針對規模大得許多的民間市場，一個基於自由貿易體系的供應鏈是最好的作法。
總結來說，針對新型冠狀病毒（COVID-19）疫情，中華台北能夠協助，我們也願意、並準備好以自身的知識與經驗提供協助，但也和其他許多APEC成員一樣，需要儘快取得更多疫苗。關於疫後經濟復甦，中華台北敦促在考慮關鍵國家安全需求後，應該採取自由貿易。
Asked later at a news conference whether his comments were a criticism of China and the United States, Chang would only say: "I think the countries I am talking about will know."
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