President Tsai Ing-wen (center) is joined by Minister of Digital Affairs Audrey Tang (left) in opening Cybersec 2024 May 14 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)
 

President Tsai Ing-wen opened Cybersec 2024 May 14 in Taipei City, pledging to enhance Taiwan’s digital resilience and expand cooperation with like-minded partners to create a global information security defense alliance.

During her opening remarks, Tsai praised the expansion of the annual exhibition, saying that the event, now in its 10th year, has become one of the most important platforms for business matching and technological exchanges in the Asia Pacific.

According to the president, the government has implemented a raft of measures to advance Taiwan’s cybersecurity in recent years. Examples include the establishment of the Ministry of Digital Affairs in 2022 and the six core strategic industries plan unveiled in 2020 to ensure that Taiwan keeps pace with the global digital transition while cementing the country’s key position in international supply chains, she said.

Equally important are regulatory amendments and public sector investment aimed at creating a more favorable business environment for the local sector, Tsai said. Thanks to such efforts, the sector’s output surpassed NT$74.4 billion (US$2.29 billion) last year, right on target to meet the NT$80 billion goal set for 2025.

Given its position on the front line of democratic defense against authoritarian expansion, Taiwan also faces complicated cybersecurity threats, the president said. The government is leaving no stone unturned to create solid defense mechanisms through the establishment of the Administration for Cyber Security under the MODA and the National Institute of Cyber Security, she added.

Tsai concluded with the hope that this year’s Cybersec will promote exchanges and inspire more cooperation among the academic, public and private sectors from home and abroad to strengthen the global cybersecurity network.

Organized by Taipei-based weekly iThome since 2015, the event brings together top cybersecurity experts for more than 300 talks and showcases over 500 global brands. Themed “Generative Future” this year, the three-day expo features new areas such as the Cyber Taiwan Pavilion, Cyber Talent and AIoT and Hardware Security Zone, according to the organizer. (SFC-E)