Remarks by AIT Director Christopher J. Marut at Launch of Art Alliance Website Entrepreneurship in the Cyber Age for Disadvantaged Women and Youth Project June 5, 2013, Taipei Spot

OT-1305E | Date: 06/05/2013 (As Prepared for Delivery)

Chairman Yen, Director Chen, Director Chang, Director-General Yeh, Chairman Chen, ladies and gentlemen:

Thank you for joining us for this press conference today. I imagine many of you may wonder how AIT came to be involved in this outstanding project. Well, to put it simply, the United States believes that when their partners have strong, stable economies, it is good for them and good for us. In English we have a saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Economies are the same. They are only as strong as their weakest members. Encouraging the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurship among non-traditional groups of people helps build a stronger economy and a better partner for the United States.

We live in a global economy and we are all increasingly interdependent. Although the global economy can be overwhelming, it is also a source of great opportunity. With the Internet, small businesses can reach customers that they could never have reached before. The use of social media can amplify messages and gain the interest of new audiences, allowing someone sitting in their home or community center to build an international clientele.

Although using the Internet to conduct business creates many possibilities, if you do not know the basics, it can seem overwhelming and even intimidating. For that reason, we decided to join with the Alliance Cultural Foundation to help disadvantaged women and young people expand their small businesses by using Internet tools and social media.

I would like to thank Stanley Yen and the Alliance Cultural Foundation for their excellent partnership. We have enjoyed working with them. But most importantly, we have enjoyed working with the entrepreneurs who are trying so hard to develop their new businesses. I feel very positive about the future of both Taiwan and the United States when I see such determined, talented new entrepreneurs. I can’t wait to see what else they will be doing.

I congratulate the Foundation on today’s inauguration of the website (http://artalliance.weebly.com) . I congratulate the entrepreneurs, and I commend each of them for their innovation, dedication, and determination. It’s an honor for AIT to be a part of this fantastic initiative.

Thank you.