Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday called on Acer Group founder and honorary chairman Stan Shih (施振榮), his representative to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen, China, to convey Taiwan's commitment to collaborating with international partners on artificial intelligence (AI).

At a news conference at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Lai asked Shih to convey three messages at the meeting, which will be held on Nov. 18 and 19.

First, Lai said, Taiwan has always actively participated in APEC affairs and made contributions. In doing so, Taiwan has not only upheld its own economic interests but also contributed to the global economy by sharing its perspectives and experience.

Furthermore, Lai said, Taiwan plays a pivotal role in the global semiconductor supply chain and is an "indispensable partner" in efforts to promote global innovation in AI and digital transformation.

Under the APEC framework, Taiwan will continue to advance global technological partnerships, facilitate innovation exchanges and actively build a resilient and reliable AI supply chain, Lai said.

In addition, the president said that as the global economy faces challenges stemming from geopolitics, energy issues and the reshaping of supply chains, Taiwan will continue to serve as a reliable partner in the Asia-Pacific and accelerate economic and trade integration with regional partners to jointly uphold regional prosperity and stability.

Lai noted that Shih had previously represented Taiwan at the 2007 APEC Leaders' Week meetings in Sydney, Australia, where he proposed the APEC Digital Opportunity Center 2.0 initiative.

Describing Shih as an influential business leader with extensive industry experience, Lai said he was confident that Shih would make substantive contributions at this year's APEC Leaders' Meeting.

In his remarks, Shih underscored the importance of international cooperation, saying it had contributed greatly to Taiwan's successful transformation from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) into a key player in the global semiconductor and information and communications technology industries.

AI is a focal point of this year's APEC meetings, and Taiwan's strengths in semiconductors, the digital economy and AI supply chains make it an indispensable partner and a steady, reliable force in the international community, Shih said.

Shih said he would proactively engage with economic leaders at the APEC summit to convey the message entrusted to him by Lai.