AIT and Taiwan’s NDC Co-host Smart Technology Symposium

As part of their on-going efforts under the Digital Economy Forum, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and Taiwan’s National Development Council (NDC) co-hosted on April 25 a Smart Technology Symposium at the Asia Silicon Valley Development Agency headquarters in Taoyuan, Taiwan. In opening remarks, AIT Director Kin Moy highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the two sides in the high tech sector and called for continued close cooperation aimed at developing the digital economy in general, and smart technologies in particular.

The Digital Economy Forum is a dialogue where representatives from the United States and Taiwan exchange views on the full spectrum of digital economy developments and discuss strategies for deepening cooperation with respect to digital trade and investment, startups, smart technologies, cybersecurity, and global issues. The Smart Technology Symposium brought together more than 250 public and private sector participants to explore ways for the two sides to work together.

Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, Associate Director of Cyber-Physical Systems at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology invited Taiwan local authorities and industry representatives to join the Global Cities Team Challenge, a coalition of global cities working to develop a common framework for the development of Smart Cities, and to attend the Annual Summit in Washington, D.C., on August 28-29, 2017.

At the Symposium, AIT and NDC launched the Digital Economy Forum Smart Technology Working Group, a public-private partnership charged with carrying forward smart technology cooperation between the two sides. During breakout sessions, local officials from cities across Taiwan shared plans for Smart City development with U.S. and Taiwan industry representatives. Public and private sector leaders also explored together the challenges and opportunities for the development of financial technologies.