From the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Innotech Expo 2024
While Taiwan is advanced in the semiconductor and hardware industries, it lags behind countries like Singapore and South Korea when it comes to software development, according to Taiwan’s Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-hue.
Taiwan is making tremendous efforts to bridge this gap, he said during Thursday’s opening ceremony of the Taiwan Innotech Expo at the Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1.
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“Taiwan has the advantage of being at the forefront of the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors. We need to catch up on and aim to improve the software sector. By putting efforts by different departments of the government, we can make the country better,” he added.
“We should also provide opportunities for different countries to communicate better and share ideas with each other. Exhibitions like the Taiwan Innotech Expo are a good platform to facilitate such connections,” the minister explained.
The Innotech expo hosts many schools, startups, and SMEs (small and medium enterprises) from countries like South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia that have showcased their products and innovations. “By facilitating this, we can encourage and push school and university students and SMEs to develop innovative products and bring their products to Taiwan to showcase to a global audience,” the Minister said.
The Taiwan Innotech Expo is jointly organised by 11 government departments and implemented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). The three-day exhibition demonstrates Taiwan’s outstanding competitiveness in global R&D and showcases over 1,200 innovative technologies by 431 exhibitors from 20 countries.
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With 2024 being regarded as the year of AI applications, the expo has set up an “AI Theme Area” to let visitors explore smart communities and demonstrate how AI is reshaping future lifestyles. Meanwhile, the sustainability pavilion focuses on digital transformation, green energy, and circular & sustainability, showcasing how innovative technologies can lead humanity towards a net-zero emissions green future.
Quantum computing and sports tech are also the highlights of the event.
The opening ceremony was also attended by prominent figures, including the Minister of the National Science and Technology Council Chen-Wen Wu and representatives from various ministries.
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The writer is in Taiwan on an invitation from the organisers of the Innotech expo.
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