In Lai's analysis, the implosion of the Asian economies last year demonstrates their interconnectedness. Therefore, in order to place its own existence on a more secure foundation, Taiwan should carefully observe changes in APEC and use its influence to make the organization into a vehicle driving regional consolidation.
他分析，亞洲國家近年來經濟危機持續不去，證明瞭彼此的連動性，因此台灣應該注意觀察 APEC 的轉變，發揮意見的影響力，以使 APEC 能夠成為區域整合的火車頭，為我國創造更大的生存利基。