President of the China Productivity Center (CPC) Dr. Pao-Cheng Chang, Distinguished Experts and Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am extremely pleased that we have had very stimulating discussions during this two-day conference. The subjects were quite diverse, ranging from Green Productivity and climate change to social enterprises and outside-the-box rural development; from biotechnology to aging societies and healthcare. But at the heart of all these discussions was the importance of productivity in achieving sustainable, inclusive development in the Asia-Pacific region, especially among APO members.

APO Governing Body Chair Tan Sri Azman Hashim and I had the great honor of meeting HE President Ma Ying-Jeou two days ago. President Ma recognized the importance of the special publication project that commemorates the APO’s 50th anniversary and expressed his best wishes for the successful outcome of this project that will contribute to the development and sustainable growth of the Asia-Pacific region.

The generous financial grant provided by the Government of the Republic of China for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the APO commenced with an auspicious celebration in August last year, which subsequently culminated in this conference. Such generous support will forever be remembered in the history of the APO because that grant allowed us to produce the publication titled Productivity in the Asia-Pacific: Past, Present, and Future, from which future generations will learn the accomplishments of the APO and its member countries over the last 50 years and what the current generation is doing now for the present and the future.

The experts who participated in the special 50th anniversary publication contributed their precious time and expertise to its contents. They studied and discussed in depth the various challenges that member countries are facing such as globalization, climate change, and aging populations. From these in-depth studies and discussions evolved the recommendations included in the Taipei Declaration on Productivity. These recommendations will guide not only the APO but also other stakeholders on key actions to devise sustainable solutions to the issues confronting countries in the Asia-Pacific.

This conference has reaffirmed my strong belief that productivity growth is the driving force behind the sustained progress and prosperity of our economies. The APO must continue to strengthen its programs in agriculture, manufacturing, services, and the public sector. This conference has also reinforced my conviction that the APO can succeed in its mission to improve productivity in the Asia-Pacific region only with the continued support and cooperation of each and every NPO, which are the champions of productivity in their countries. Thus, at the upcoming Workshop Meeting of Heads of NPOs in October in Bali, Indonesia, the Secretariat will report the recommendations made here and plan to incorporate them into future APO programs.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Government of the Republic of China for the grant to the APO and for hosting this international conference graciously attended by HE Vice President Den-Yih Wu, Vice Minister Yea-Ping Shih of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Vice Minister Tyzz-Jiun Duh of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. I would also like to thank APO Governing Body Chair Tan Sri Azman Hashim for recognizing the importance of this project and taking the time to attend.

My deep appreciation also goes to Dr. Tsu-Tan Fu, Chief Expert of the APO 50th Anniversary Publication Project, the two coordinating experts, and all the other experts, APO Alternate Directors, and NPO Heads who have contributed to this landmark publication. Without their valuable inputs, we would have not been able to produce this book.

Finally, allow me to reiterate my special appreciation for the efforts of APO Director for the Republic of China Sheng-Hsiung Hsu, CPC President Dr. Pao-Cheng Chang, and the entire CPC team who attended to every single detail and worked tirelessly with the experts and the APO Secretariat. I would like all of you to join me in a standing ovation to manifest our deep gratitude to everyone involved with the Government of the Republic of China and the CPC.

Thank you all very much.