Taipei, March 17 (CNA) Palau has appointed Stan Shih (施振榮), founder of Taiwan’s leading PC brand Acer Group, a senior economic advisor to the West Pacific island country, the StanShih Foundation said Monday.
In a statement, the foundation, which was also established by Shih to help boost Taiwan’s long-term sustainability and competitiveness, said the Acer founder received a senior economic advisor certificate from Palau President Surangel Whipps, Jr., on Monday.
Shih led a delegation to Palau on Saturday to survey the investment environment of the island country, the foundation said. On Sunday, the Palau president accompanied Shih and the delegation to survey the country’s marine tourism industry, the foundation added.
Shih and Whipps also signed a memorandum of understanding on economic cooperation by taking advantage of Taiwan’s successful business model to help Palau and start to push for a series of joint economic developments.
According to the foundation, Whipps also said he hoped Shih would employ his experiences in building a successful business to help enhance the country’s economy.
Cited by the foundation, Shih said as Palau is a diplomatic ally of Taiwan, the private business sector should embrace efforts by Taiwan government to boost the prosperity of its allies.
As an island of technology as well as a silicon island, in particular, Taiwan is able to take advantage of its achievements in developing high tech industries and running a tech ecosystem to advance the industrial development of its allies, Shih said.
The Acer founder said Taiwan and Palau have been discussing economic cooperation in a wide range of areas such as medical care through the integration of Palau’s traditional medicine achievements and Chinese medicine research teams from Taiwan’s public and private sectors.
In the tourism industry, Shih said, Palau and Taiwan’s Lion Travel Service Co. are discussing a plan to launch a premium tourism program on its Peleliu island, while Palau’s 77-foot zero-carbon vessel, Porrima 77, is planning to enter the upscale diving and ecotourism by working with a Japanese partner.
Whipps is scheduled to come to Taiwan in May and during his stay, the Palau president will visit Kaohsiung, where the Porrima P111 vessel is being upgraded. He will also visit a wind energy development mill run by Taiwan-based high-tech company Wistron Corp., the foundation said.
Palau is one of 12 states that have diplomatic relations with Taipei.
