President Tsai Ing-wen (right) plays a shooting game at the opening of GTI Asia Taipei Expo, the nation’s largest arcade game trade fair, April 25. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)

President Tsai Ing-wen said April 25 that the government is committed to fostering digital and smart technologies like augmented and virtual reality so that the world’s best video games are Made in Taiwan.
 
The nation’s games sector is registering impressive growth, Tsai said, adding that total industry output reached NT$58 billion (US$1.88 billion) in 2018, the highest figure in seven years.
 
With the government bolstering AR, VR and extended reality R&D under the five-plus-two innovative industries initiative and Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, this potential-laden sector is expected to scale even greater heights going forward, she added.
 
Tsai made the remarks at the opening of GTI Asia Taipei Expo, the nation’s largest arcade game trade show. Running through April 27, the event is spotlighting the latest amusement machines and related digital and manufacturing products at around 450 booths by more than 50 exhibitors.
 
According to Tsai, AR, VR and XR are expected to prove critical in a host of emerging digital economy sectors. To ensure Taiwan stays at the leading-edge, the government has launched a four-year, NT$1 billion project under the FIDP to facilitate the incorporation of sensory technologies in areas spanning education, entertainment and medical care, she said.
 
Tsai also pointed to the Reality Technology Service Self-Regulatory Rules unveiled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. This creates a tailored supervisory framework for the AR, VR and XR industry, providing participants with greater freedom in developing innovative cross-sector applications, Tsai said.
 
A key plank in the president’s national development strategy, the five-plus-two initiative targets the high-growth sectors of biotechnology, green energy, national defense, smart machinery and Internet of Things, as well as two core concepts: the circular economy and a new paradigm for agricultural development.
 
The FIDP aims to meet Taiwan’s development needs for the next 30 years. It covers eight categories: aquatic environments, child care facilities, digital infrastructure, food safety, green energy, human resources, railways and urban-rural renewal projects. (CPY-E)