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In the APEC China Year, CGTN and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade present "My Vision for APEC," featuring business leaders' insights into industry trends and their visions for the future of Asia-Pacific. Tsai Wang-ting is the general manager of Taiwan-based major food manufacturer Want Want Group. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

"Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together," the theme of APEC 2026, speaks to me personally. I grew up as economic ties across the Taiwan Strait deepened and the Asia-Pacific became more connected. As part of a new generation of business leaders, I have seen how those connections have shaped both my own experience and Want Want's growth.

Want Want began in Taiwan, China, grew rapidly on the Chinese mainland, and expanded into markets across the Asia-Pacific. Our experience has shown us how something as simple as a rice cracker can connect industries across the region, and how a character like Hot-Kid, known as Wang Zai, can bring people together across cultures. Shared prosperity means more than the movement of goods and cooperation between industries. It also means drawing on one another's strengths, building mutual understanding, developing ideas across borders and opening doors for young people. Want Want's story reflects each of these possibilities.

A single rice cracker: A story of regional cooperation

Want Want's story began in 1962 with the founding of I-Lan Foods. In the 1980s, Chairman Tsai Eng-meng recognized an opportunity in something familiar to households across Asia: rice. He studied rice cracker production, and introduced technology and equipment, combining them with Taiwan's abundant rice supplies and an understanding of local tastes. Through continued refinement, the classic Want Want Senbei took shape. In the late 1980s, Want Want registered its trademark on the Chinese mainland, and in 1992, we invested in our first mainland factory in Hunan Province.

The mainland's vast consumer market, established industrial infrastructure and strong economic growth gave us room to expand. Closer trade ties across the Asia-Pacific opened further opportunities. We went on to list on the stock exchanges in Singapore and Hong Kong SAR, establish production facilities in Vietnam, and develop a network of sales subsidiaries and affiliates in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and other markets. Today, Want Want is a diversified group with business operations spanning 77 countries and regions.

Behind a simple rice cracker is a network of technology, ingredients, manufacturing expertise and markets. To me, this is the cooperation APEC stands for, expressed in practical terms: Different markets contribute their strengths, trade becomes easier, supply chains work more smoothly, and products reach new consumers. From the beginning, Want Want has both contributed to and benefited from this cooperation.

From Taiwan to the mainland and across the Asia-Pacific: Connecting people through our brands

Once a product reaches a new market, the next challenge is to earn a place in people's lives. That takes an emotional connection. From exporting traditional favorites like our rice crackers to building distinctive brand IPs and creating more engaging consumer experiences, Want Want has continually evolved to keep its brand fresh and relevant. Over six decades, it has built beloved household names, including Hot-Kid and Lonely God that have become a recognizable part of popular culture. For many people, these names, faces and melodies carry memories and emotions of their own.

The generation before us spent six decades building that connection. For my generation of management, the responsibility is to respect what they created while finding new ways for people to enjoy it. We want to bring these familiar brands beyond packaging and commercials, into places where people meet, spend time together and create new memories.

Mr. Bond Coffee and San Want Hotel are two examples of how we are doing this. At Mr. Bond Coffee, we have produced innovative products such as cascara coffee – coffee infused with fresh cascara nut peels made into tea. With more than 100 stores, Mr. Bond Coffee is now offering lively gathering places for young people. At San Want Hotel, we are exploring ways to bring characters such as Hot-Kid into themed rooms, family activities and travel experiences, rejuvenating the characters. Both businesses give people fresh ways to enjoy Want Want while introducing our brands to a new generation.

I believe there is an opportunity here for other businesses working across the Asia-Pacific. Alongside physical products, companies can bring creativity, experiences and ideas to new markets. Through thoughtful design, an understanding of local lifestyles and operations that respond to local needs, brands can become part of everyday life. When people in different places recognize the same character or feel an attachment to the same melody, they have something in common. Those shared references can help commercial relationships grow into cultural connections.

Creating opportunities for young people across the Strait and the Asia-Pacific

With our roots from Taiwan, I believe business success should be measured by the opportunities we create as well as by our financial performance. That includes helping young people across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the Asia-Pacific develop their skills, work together and build lasting partnerships.

In July this year, we welcomed seven young people from Taiwan to Mr. Bond Coffee in Shanghai for internships. Some were visiting the mainland for the first time, and others were discovering cascara coffee for the first time. During their short stay, they learned how our stores operate. Just as meaningfully, they found common ground with their mainland colleagues through the everyday experience of working together.

Looking ahead, I plan to invite more young people from Taiwan to become store managers and baristas, offering support at every stage, from internships and employment to starting their own businesses. I hope the connections formed through work will develop into deeper personal and cultural ties. I want young people from Taiwan to find opportunities on the mainland, young people from the mainland to find partners in Taiwan, and young people throughout the Asia-Pacific to see possibilities in one another's markets.

The sense that we are "one family across the Strait" provides a strong foundation for cooperation between businesses and for cultural exchange. We will continue to deepen our commitment to the mainland market, support exchanges between young people across the Strait, and expand across the Asia-Pacific. By bringing our established brands into new settings and experiences, we want more consumers to enjoy the warmth and familiarity of Want Want in their daily lives. We also want the creativity and energy of young people to help shape that growth and contribute to the region's prosperity.

From a single grain of rice to an international supply chain, and from a single product to a wider world of brands, characters, and experiences, Want Want has continued to evolve. The way we do business and the ways people engage with us will keep changing. Our purpose remains the same: to create value through innovation and bring people together through cooperation. An Asia-Pacific community gains a strong and lasting foundation when industries create shared value, brands connect people across cultures, and young people have opportunities to learn and grow together. After more than six decades, Want Want is looking ahead with confidence to a future more closely connected with the Asia-Pacific.

This is what APEC means to me.

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