Industry calls on Taiwan government to push for nationwide digital transformation

業界呼籲台灣政府推動全國數位轉型

Taiwan’s Information Service Industry Association releases white paper to advise government


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Information Service Industry Association (CISA) has called on the government to push for digital transformation on a nationwide level, promote digital security, and improve policy.

During a press conference on Wednesday (Dec. 23), CISA President Brian Shen (沈柏延) emphasized the importance of information services as the digital economy continues to grow rapidly around the world. The association published a white paper to draw attention to current challenges facing the information service industry as well as to propose possible solutions for future developments.

According to Shen, the government should promote digital transformation not only within the government but also among small- and medium-sized companies across Taiwan, which have played an important role in the country's economy. The government ought to help improve the business environment for the development of information services and mull policies that enhance the industry’s competitiveness at home and abroad, he said.

Authorities should take the lead in developing the digital security industry while promoting digital security education among different industries, said the president. He added that fostering talent in the fields of advanced technologies should also be a goal of the government.

Acer founder Stan Shih (施振榮) remarked that scale matters in the information service industry and that companies should not focus only on Taiwan but aim for the international market. The government being the nation’s largest services buyer should create demand at home, which companies can use to propel growth overseas, he noted.

President of the Digital Taiwan Roundtable Luis Ko (高志明) said that while information services providers should take on the challenges themselves, the government should also make more efforts to help the industry grow, especially at a time when digital security is heavily emphasized by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

"There is still some distance between the industry's expectations and the government's actions," he observed.

Referring to the president, who earlier attended a Microsoft event after the US-based tech giant increased investments in Taiwan, Ko said government leaders should also stand with Taiwan’s information services businesses to help promote Taiwanese brands.

"I believe it will be of great help to many companies in the country," he said.