1st #Taiwan digital economy dialogue wraps up in Brussels

Delegations to the two-day event were headed by Chen Mei-ling, minister of the Cabinet-level National Development Council, and Roberto Viola, head of the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect) at the European Commission.

Speaking at the opening of the event, Chen said that emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain and big data are fundamentally altering global economic and social structures. Taiwan and the EU have demonstrated foresight in responding to this digital revolution, as evidenced by the government’s Digital and Innovative Economic Development Plan, or DIGI-plus, and the EU’s Digital Single Market initiative, she added.

By facilitating robust exchanges on these programs, the dialogue is set to bolster the efforts of both sides to harness innovative tech solutions in addressing economic and social challenges, Chen said.

According to Viola, the digital economy strategies of Taiwan and the EU share strong similarities in terms of ideas and values. The meeting marks a new chapter in related cooperation, with the in-depth discussions expected to lay the foundations for a follow-up event in Taipei, he added.

Taiwan’s delegation comprised officials from the Board of Science and Technology under the Executive Yuan, Industrial Development Bureau under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, as well as the Ministry of Science and Technology.

In addition to the digital economy meeting, the delegation met with officials from the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers to discuss progress in implementing the EU General Data Protection Regulation, according to the NDC.

DIGI-plus is a comprehensive program to upgrade Taiwan’s internet infrastructure and foster sectors spanning AI, e-governance and fintech. It runs through 2025 with a budget of about NT$170 billion (US$5.34bn).