Taiwan has tapped Acer founder Shih Chen-jung as its representative to the 2026 APEC leaders' summit, a sign Taipei wants to lean on its AI and chip strength to secure a seat at the table.

• Shih will attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen in November, his first time representing Taiwan at the summit in 19 years.
• President Lai Ching-te gave him three tasks to carry out, aimed at showing other member economies that Taiwan is a must-have partner, not just a supplier.
• The pitch centers on Taiwan's position in the global semiconductor and AI supply chain, which Shih says gives the island real leverage in talks with other leaders.
• AI is a top agenda item at this year's summit, which plays to Taiwan's strength and gives it a chance to position itself as a stable, trusted partner in the AI race.

Outlook: Shih's trip is meant to reinforce Taiwan's economic relevance internationally even as it remains diplomatically isolated, with more AI and chip-related diplomacy likely ahead.