By Caribbean News Global 
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – The ninth Taiwan-Germany Smart Machinery Forum held August 22, 2024, in Taipei City, highlighting the commitment on both sides to strengthening cooperation and exchange in advanced smart production, the ministry of economic affairs said; meantime, the joint opening ceremony for the Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robot Show 2024 and Automation Taipei 2024 was held August 21 in Taipei City.
Smart manufacturing
The MOEA co-hosted the event with the German Trade Office Taipei, in cooperation with the Hsinchu City-based Industrial Technology Research Institute and the Taipei-based Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robotics Association.
According to the MOEA, discussions at the forum focused on making use of artificial intelligence in applied technologies, carbon reduction techniques, smart robots, and system integration in smart manufacturing. Businesses from the two countries also shared their experiences developing and utilizing digital platforms, the MOEA said.
Director General Yang Chih-ching of MOEA’s Industrial Development Administration spoke online as part of the opening ceremonies, and said that Taiwan has achieved fruitful results in AI-applied manufacturing industries. The country has also facilitated the reduction of industry carbon emissions by 1.55 million tons, and he hoped that Taiwan and Germany’s expanding partnership would create further opportunities for investment.
Bernhard Kluttig, director general for industrial policy at Germany’s Federal ministry for economic affairs and climate action also participated in the opening ceremony online, the MOEA said, adding that a memorandum of understanding on technical cooperation of system integration and market expansion for smart collaborative robots was inked between Taoyuan City-based Techman Robot and Botfellows in the German city of Chemnitz during the conference.
The MOEA said that Taiwan and Germany have a highly complementary trade relationship. In 2023, bilateral total trade volume reached US$22 billion, with Germany being Taiwan’s eighth-largest trade partner, its tenth-largest export market, and its sixth-largest import market, the ministry added.
Strategies to advance economy
Premier Cho Jung-tai said that the government would continue its practice of introducing artificial intelligence technology to government agencies and various industries to work toward the goal of benefiting the whole of society, delivering remarks at Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robot Show 2024 and Automation Taipei 2024 August 21 in Taipei City.
Premier Cho Jung-tai mentioned that hotels and senior care centers have begun to adopt smart robots with increasingly diverse services and functions, and noted that robotic equipment is also applied in the national security arena.
Taiwan is at the forefront of development in smart industries and hardware manufacturing even as it continues to make progress in software applications, the premier said, adding that the government intends to provide comprehensive assistance to traditional industries and micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises in recognition of their key position in Taiwan’s economy.
Accordingly, the government announced the allocation of a budget of NT$11.6 billion (US$362 million) to subsidize diverse development of MSMEs during the first meeting of the Executive Yuan’s Economic Development Committee July 18, the premier said.
Premier Cho Jung-tai concluded with the announcements that Taiwan’s second-quarter economic growth rate is at 5.09 percent, and that salaries for military, public and educational personnel will rise three percent, while a review meeting for the national minimum wage has been planned for September.
