President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said the government would support the design sector to enhance designs used in policymaking and improving people’s lives.
Tsai made the remarks at the International Design House Exhibition in Taipei, this year’s World Design Capital.
Saying that design is indispensable to national development, Tsai encouraged the private sector to invest more in the design industry to help designers assume a more prominent role in policymaking.
Photo: CNA
Referring to the exhibition’s theme of “an adaptive city,” Tsai said that design not only helps to improve cities, but also nations, as it has proven to be beneficial to promoting tourism, upgrading industries, marketing agricultural products and improving public infrastructure.
As design also helps tackle social issues, such as aging societies, pollution and the quality of life, many international designers that participate in the exhibition have incorporated design into their works, she said.
Tsai called on central and local government agencies to make design part of people’s everyday life, as designers can help devise more human-centric policies that better fit people’s needs.
Design exists in every industry from research and development to mass production, not only helping businesses create value-added products, but also enabling them to find a competitive edge, she said.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who accompanied Tsai at the exhibition, touted the event as an occasion that boosted the nation’s international profile.
Saying that design is the key to make a difference in cultures, cities and nations, Ko said that he hopes that design can boost the level of convenience enjoyed by the public and make Taipei and the nation more beautiful.
“We are limited only by our imagination. If we want to open our minds and design the world, we might as well begin today,” Ko said.
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