The 2022 EU-Taiwan Investment Partnership on ICT Industry Forum was the finale of the 2022 EU Investment Forum series of events in Q4. It was organized by the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO), the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) of Taiwan, the Kaohsiung City Government, and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). The affiliated organizations of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, and Slovakia were present at the exhibition area as in-person points of contact for the local businesses’ community. The forum successfully attracted more than 150 participants, who expressed a high level of interest in the EU countries.

‘Taiwan, being traditionally strong in ICT, has a role to play in Europe now,’ said Filip Grzegorzewski, Head of the EETO. Post-COVID, the EU has been pursuing the green and digital twin transition under the NextGenerationEU and Digital Europe initiatives for a resilient and sustainable economic development. On the other hand, the ICT sector has could be considered as the backbone of Taiwan’s economy, and ICT products accounting for 40% of Taiwan’s exports to the EU. Kaohsiung, embodies Taiwan’s history of industrial development. From sugar refineries in the early 20th century, to heavy industry post-WWII, the port city is now poised to become a new ICT hub with numerous investment zones, most notable the AIoT Innovation Park near the Port of Kaohsiung. Several high-profile EU investments have been made in the year leading up to the forum, bringing mutual benefits to both the EU and Taiwan. With a shared vision, so too a shared prosperity for both sides.