Taiwan says it won't give up its seat at the table, sending Acer founder Shih Chen-jung to represent the country at next week's APEC leaders' summit in Shenzhen, China.

• Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taiwan is a full APEC member with equal rights to join every meeting, and will never easily give up a chance to take part in world affairs or speak up.
• President Lai Ching-te asked Shih Chen-jung, Acer's founder and honorary chairman, to be Taiwan's representative at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on November 18-19.
• Shih has stayed active in global tech since retiring, working on zero-emission ships and using AI to spread his long-standing business philosophy, which fits well with this year's APEC themes.
• He previously represented Taiwan at APEC in 2007 and now also advises Palau's president and is helping Eswatini plan its energy projects, giving him broad international experience.
• Taiwan joined APEC in 1991 under the name "Chinese Taipei," and the government hopes Shih's trip will boost Taiwan's visibility and show it as a stable, trustworthy partner in the region.

Outlook: Taiwan will keep pushing to stay visible in international bodies like APEC despite diplomatic pressure from China, with this summit serving as its latest chance to make that case on the world stage.