The industrial transformation of southern Taiwan hinges on smart technology, Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that digital innovation could enhance the value of traditional heavy industries.
“Kaohsiung is known as the city of heavy industries in Taiwan, with petrochemicals being one of them. With the aid of digital technology, we can upgrade the industrial chain, which would benefit the residents of southern Taiwan,” Lai said at the National Competitiveness in Digitization — Talent Circulation Alliance in Kaohsiung.
The event was organized by the Digital Information and Governance Innovation Association of the Legislative Yuan (DIGIA-LY), the American Institute in Taiwan and the Ministry of Economic Affairs to highlight industrial innovation.
Photo: CNA
New and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, big data analysis, blockchain and Industry 4.0 are areas that can help transform and add more value to the city’s industries, Lai said.
Hopefully, the event can help nurture more talent in southern Taiwan and narrow the rural-urban gap in human resources, he added.
The Talent Circulation Alliance was established in April last year by the AIT in conjunction with several ministries and government agencies to transform Taiwan into a hub for international talent, said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳), who also heads the DIGIA-LY.
The government and the AIT also released a Talent Circulation Alliance White Paper last month at a ceremony attended by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Liu added.
Former vice premier Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said that Taiwan should allocate more resources to the development of 5G and artificial intelligence of things (AIoT), and facilitate more cooperation between Taiwanese and foreign talent.
If elected as Kaohsiung mayor, Chen, who is representing the Democratic Progressive Party in the Aug. 15 by-election, said that he plans to set up a committee dedicated to the promotion of the digital economy, and use smart technology to upgrade transportation in the city’s remote areas.
Pingtung County Commissioner Pan Men-an (潘孟安) said the county has incorporated big data analysis into the fields of transportation and agriculture.
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) talked about the importance of promoting digital awareness, citing data showing that only about 16 percent of the Triple Stimulus Vouchers claimed were in digital form, which means more expenditure on printing.
Asked whether he would stump for Chen in his campaign rallies, Lai said that arrangements have yet to be made.
Additional reporting by CNA
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