Since taking office on Sept. 1, Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-Hsin Kung has actively engaged both domestic industry and international partners in order to strengthen Taiwan's economic resilience and global partnerships as part of efforts to carry out President Lai Ching-te's Rooted in Taiwan, Connecting Globally policy vision.
The Minister stated that by listening closely to the voices of our domestic industries, the Ministry of Economic Affairs can develop timely and effective policies to help enterprises navigate today's global economic challenges.
He added that at the same time, through deeper exchanges and cooperation with our international allies, we aim to create win-win outcomes and further reinforce Taiwan's pivotal role in the global supply chain.
During his first month in office, Minister Kung has met with key representatives from major partner economies. These include Lutz Gullner, Head of the European Economic and Trade Office; Peter Sand, Director of the Trade Council of Denmark in Taipei; Paulius Lukauskas, Representative of the Lithuanian Trade Representative Office in Taipei; Jana Havlikova, Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Innovation of the Czech Republic; Sumi Shuzo, Chairman of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association; Amari Akira, Honorary Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Semiconductor Strategy Promotion Parliamentarian Alliance; and Rupert Hammond-Chambers, President of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council.
At the recent SEMICON Taiwan trade exhibition, Minister Kung also served as moderator of the Semicon Network Summit, leading discussions on enhancing trusted cross-border supply chain partnerships.
In his exchanges with international partners, Minister Kung has emphasized that the Ministry will continue to promote the development of Taiwan's Five Trusted Industry Sectors, namely semiconductors, artificial intelligence, defense, cybersecurity, and next-generation communications, while also advancing key technologies such as silicon photonics, quantum computing and AI robotics under Taiwan's Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects initiative.
He pointed out that these industries not only drive Taiwan's economic transformation but also require close collaboration with major economies such as the United States, the EU and Japan in order to enhance global supply chain resilience and competitiveness.
On the issue of Taiwan's energy resilience, which has continued to draw international attention, Minister Kung stated that his Ministry will continue promoting the development of diverse renewable energy resources such as solar and offshore wind in order to ensure a stable supply of green electricity, which will provide a solid foundation for Taiwan's AI industry development.
He added that Taiwan will also continue working with global partners to advance net-zero transition and sustainable growth goals.
Many international partners have also expressed strong interest in Taiwan's success in developing science and industrial parks that improve operational efficiency for enterprises. Minister Kung explained that his Ministry will continue setting up Taiwan Trade and Investment Service Centers in locations around the world in order to assist in removing barriers to investment and help Taiwanese businesses to expand globally and strengthen their competitiveness.
He further said the ministry will continue working with domestic industry associations seeking to develop overseas science parks to secure favorable terms and incentives abroad, thereby deepening Taiwan's global economic linkages and promoting long-term sustainable development.