President Tsai Ing-wen welcomes an investment plan recently announced by Microsoft Taiwan Corp. as a key avenue to expanding the country’s cooperation with the U.S., according to the Presidential Office Oct. 26.
 
Microsoft Corp. is a long-standing partner that has made substantial commitments to Taiwan, Tsai said. This is evidenced by the global software leader’s establishment of an Internet of Things innovation center in 2016 and an artificial intelligence R&D center in 2018, which have helped support the government’s Asia Silicon Valley Development Plan under the five-plus-two innovative industries initiative, she added.
 
Tsai made the remarks during a news conference in Taipei City announcing Microsoft’s latest investment project, under which the technology giant will build a regional cloud data center and expand its operations team. The plan is expected to cultivate 200,000 digital professionals, generate 30,000-plus jobs and create a production value of more than NT$300 billion (US$10.5 billion).
 
According to Tsai, the move also will play a central role in expanding Taiwan’s international collaboration as the country is widely recognized for manufacturing high-end hardware and acting as a reliable partner in information security and intellectual property rights protection.
 
On the basis of these strengths, Taiwan will work with the U.S. to accelerate supply chain realignment and enhance economic and technological development, the president said, adding that the two sides will continue generating new business opportunities in the Indo-Pacific.
 
A key plank in the government's national development strategy, the five-plus-two innovative industries initiative centers on the high-growth sectors of biotech, green energy, national defense, smart machinery and Internet of Things, as well as promoting two core concepts: the circular economy and a new paradigm for agricultural development. (YCH-E)
 
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