New Southbound Policy Portal

President Tsai Ing-wen said Jan. 11 that Taiwan’s information and communication technology prowess has played an indispensable role in efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic while ensuring the country’s international competitiveness.
 
Taiwan’s ICT development and capacity for innovative applications are key to the nation’s disease-fighting strategy, Tsai said, citing a mobile application for purchasing medical masks and a cloud system containing contact and travel histories for patients seeking health services.
 
The sector is sure to continue making great contributions toward promoting the people’s well-being, Tsai said, adding the government is committed to cooperating with the industry in the post-pandemic era.
 
Tsai made the remarks at the Presidential Office while receiving a delegation of local ICT experts and business leaders. The individuals were honored during the IT Month exhibition held Dec. 2-6 last year in Taipei City.
 
According to Tsai, the ICT industry is one of the sectors highlighted in the five-plus-two innovative industries initiative, which includes the biotech and pharmaceuticals, green energy, national defense and smart machinery sectors, as well as the circular economy and a new paradigm for agriculture.
 
The Executive Yuan also announced in 2020 that the government plans to invest nearly NT$100 billion (US$3.51 billion) over four years expanding digital infrastructure under the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, she added.
 
Furthermore, as part of the six core strategic industries initiative, Tsai said the government has earmarked NT$7.6 billion to promote investment from home and abroad in key industries such as artificial intelligence, cloud services, Internet of Things and semiconductors.
 
With these projects progressing apace, the president said she is fully confident that the local sector will continue to thrive going forward while strengthening Taiwan’s high-tech competitiveness.
 
Launched in 2017, the FIDP covers aquatic environments, child care facilities, digital infrastructure, food safety, green energy, human resources, railways and urban-rural renewal projects.
 
The six core strategic industries, unveiled by Tsai during her inauguration speech in 2020, comprise the information and digital technology; cybersecurity; biotech and medical technology; national defense; green and renewable energy; and strategic stockpile industries. (SFC-E)
 
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