TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. made Acer Group founder Stan Shih (施振榮) a senior economic advisor to the island nation.
The StanShih Foundation said on Monday that Shih and Taiwanese investors travelled to Palau over the weekend and met with the president, per CNA. Whipps' office said in a statement that Shih will provide “strategic guidance on economic policy, sustainable development, and the diversification of Palau’s economy.”
The statement said Whipps also signed an MOU with Shih in March to focus on research, investment, and business development cooperation. According to the agreement, the goal is to “make Palau so attractive that Palauans wish to return to the country and overseas investment partners are prepared to establish ventures. "
“I am deeply grateful for your commitment to supporting the people of Palau,” Whipps told Shih.
Shih said specific cooperation plans between the two sides are being discussed. He said plans involve improving Palauan traditional medicine-based healthcare, biodiversity initiatives, and sustainable transport.
Shih said Palau will eventually be able to cooperate with Taiwan’s traditional Chinese medicine researchers and the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) in this area. He also said Palau will collaborate with Academia Sinica and Porrima Inc., a company Shih co-founded.
According to the Commercial Times, Porrima completed an NT$800 million fundraising round last year, with shareholders including Acer, Chunghwa Telecom, ICDF, and Wistron. The company aims to design zero-emission freight and passenger ships.
Shih said the company plans to work with Lion Travel to provide tours on Porrima ships to Palau’s Peleliu island. Whipps is also scheduled to visit Taiwan in May, where he will tour Porrima’s shipyard in Kaohsiung and observe Wistron’s airborne wind turbine testing.
Palau is one of Taiwan’s 11 formal diplomatic allies. Whips and other Palauan government officials frequently make statements in support of Taiwan’s international participation.
