The Asia-Pacific Circular Economy Roundtable & Hotspot 2025 gathers over 500 delegates from 50 countries in Taipei, marking the debut of Taiwan’s first national roadmap toward a circular and net-zero future.
Taipei, Taiwan – The Asia-Pacific Circular Economy Roundtable & Hotspot 2025 (APCER & Hotspot 2025) officially opened this morning at the Songshan Cultural & Creative Park in Taipei, marking a significant milestone in Taiwan’s drive toward a circular economy and net-zero transition. The event is jointly organised by the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Council of Agriculture and the Circular Taiwan Network (CTN).
More than 500 delegates from over 50 countries — representing government agencies, industry, academia and civil society — gathered for the launch, underscoring the international commitment and collaborative ambition of the host. The theme for the opening ceremony centred on “Resources & Waste” and “Our Own Future,” featuring an inter-generational dialogue framed from the perspective of children. The ceremony concluded with a symbolic “circular hand gesture” by all participants, signifying a pledge to circular action.
A major highlight of the morning was the first public release of the draft “Taiwan Circular Economy Roadmap”, presented by Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) of the Ministry of Environment. The roadmap outlines how Taiwan will integrate public policy, industry development and finance tools to advance from resource recovery toward a full circular economy system — the first time the government has articulated a unified blueprint across multiple ministries and industry strategies.
The forum’s programme is structured around a “Circular Trilogy” of Smart Ideas · Good Governance · Good Business, and spans two plenary international dialogues, six industry-specific tracks and site visits, and ten governance-focused trend sessions. Nearly 100 expert speakers from the circular economy field are participating, reflecting Taiwan’s pivotal role in cross-border circular cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
In response to strong international interest, this year’s event also introduces the “Asia Voices” stream, featuring representatives from emerging Asian markets and injecting diverse perspectives into cross-sectoral circular collaboration.
The opening plenary, “From Waste & Recycling to Systems Transformation,” examined how countries in the Asia-Pacific are shifting from waste-centric management to end-to-end system change — spanning design, manufacturing, consumption and reuse. International speakers included Professor Murakami Susumu of the University of Tokyo and Shalini Bhalla of the International Circular Economy Council.
A second key dialogue, titled “From Blueprint to Action,” explored how circular economy frameworks can be operationalised through corporate governance, national policy directions and international governance frameworks. Moderated by Guy Wittich, former representative of the Netherlands’ Taipei Office, the session featured industry leaders such as Wei-Wang Chen (General Manager, Eternal Chemical), Charles Huang (Chairman, CTN) and Freek van Eijk (Executive Director, Netherlands Circular Hotspot Foundation).
For the first time through a “co-creation” format, the forum invites domestic and international stakeholders to provide real-time input on the draft Taiwan roadmap — turning it from a policy document into a live framework for cross-regional cooperation and tangible action.