President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said that the central and local governments would continue working together to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and promote industry upgrades to orchid plantations.
AI technology would be leveraged to develop smart farming, enabling precise cultivation of flower breeds, efficient energy use and the promotion of circular production, Lai said at the opening ceremony of the Taiwan International Orchid Show.
Touting Taiwan as the kingdom of orchids, Lai said the nation’s flower gardening industry has evolved over the past two decades from traditional cultivation to technological advancement, internationalization and branding.
Photo: CNA
Orchids are a flagship crop for Taiwan’s agricultural exports, with a total product value of NT$6.4 billion (US$194.9 million) last year, NT$6.1 billion of which were exported to more than 60 nations, including the US, Japan and Australia, he said.
Lai touted the Ministry of Agriculture’s Taiwan Orchid Technology Park in Tainan as a globally renowned orchid industry cluster, and a leader in breeding, supply, and biotechnological research and development.
Ever since he was the mayor of Tainan, he had always hoped Taiwan’s orchids, like the Netherlands’ tulips, could be marketed worldwide and create significant economic value, Lai said.
Through orchids, he wishes to show the world Taiwan’s soft power, and communicate the resilience, friendship and confidence of orchids in every corner of the world, he said.
Last year the Taiwan International Orchid Show attracted more than 300,000 visitors, including orchid enthusiasts and experts.
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) has set a goal of welcoming more than 350,000 visitors to this year’s event, which would also incorporate the Asia Pacific Orchid Conference, Lai said.
Marking the triennial conference’s return to Taiwan after 20 years, the joint orchid show is themed “Next 20,” according to the organizers.
The show is to take place at the Taiwan Orchid Technology Park in Tainan from today until March 23, while the conference is to be held from today until Monday.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first