New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy yesterday led a delegation to visit Taipei and witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between National Taipei University of Technology (Taipei Tech), Rutgers University, and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
The agreement is intended to promote academic and cultural ties between Taiwan and the US state, cultivate international talent and forge a close academic partnership, the two sides said.
Murphy said he is the first sitting New Jersey governor to visit Taiwan, a move that demonstrates his commitment to the advancement of bilateral ties.
Photo: Yang Chin-chieh, Taipei Times
New Jersey is a global leader in life sciences, fintech and infrastructure, key areas of investments for Taiwan, Murphy said, adding that the state also has the fourth-highest per capita Asian-American population of US states, or nearly 1 million people.
“By deepening our cultural and academic ties, the two sides would help generate good-paying jobs for people on both sides of the Pacific,” the governor said prior to the ceremony. “I am proud to highlight New Jersey as the best place for Taiwanese innovators and entrepreneurs to expand, grow and reach new consumers.”
The agreement would not only help New Jersey to boost its partnership with Taipei Tech, but also paves the way for technological innovations and research breakthroughs, Murphy added.
Photo: Yang Chin-chieh, Taipei Times
Taipei Tech president Wang Sea-fue (王錫福) said that his institution and the New Jersey Institute of Technology also have an alliance and the two sides yesterday inked an agreement to support exchanges of researchers.
Taipei Tech signed an agreement with Rutgers University to show that it is serious about working with US institutes of higher education, Wang said.
As Taiwan’s oldest tech institute, Taipei Tech has produced many entrepreneurs and business leaders, including Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), chairman of smartphone and personal computer assembler Pegatron Corp (和碩); Paul Peng (彭双浪), chairman of flat-panel maker AUO Corp (友達); and Robert Yeh (葉寅夫), chairman of LED product maker Everlight Electronics Co (億光), Wang said.
Its record means Taipei Tech can help in the pursuit of a better life and is an important bridge between the academic and industrial communities, he said.
New Jersey Institute of Technology president Teik Lim said that his institution is a top polytechnic in the US whose alumni enjoy the highest annual salary, accoding to a New York Times survey this year.
Lim has promoted academic cooperation between Taipei Tech and US universities, including joint degree programs and joint graduate programs during his time as president of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and at other US universities.
Lim said he is delighted that cooperation with Taipei Tech has expanded into fields such as biology, material sciences, sustainable energy, robotics, as well as smart machinery, smart transportation and supply chain management.
Taipei Tech and the New Jersey Institute of Technology would take on three joint research projects every year, with the US institute to provide assistance to deepen bilateral academic links aimed at improving society and the economy, Lim said.
Antonio Calcado, vice president and chief operating officer of Rutgers University, said that the agreement would allow Rutgers’ school of engineering to build academic cooperation and international education links, as well as develop innovative technology.
That would benefit students in their academic and professional careers, Calcado said.
Rutgers University is the largest public research university in New Jersey and its New Brunswick campus ranks as one of the top 15 public universities in the US.
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was questioned by prosecutors for allegedly orchestrating an attack on a taxi driver after he was allegedly driven on a longer than necessary route in a car he disliked. The questioning at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office was ongoing as of press time last night. Police have recommended charges of attempted murder. The legally embattled actor — known for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代) — is under a separate investigation for allegedly using fake medical documents to evade mandatory military service. According to local media reports, police said Wang earlier last year ordered a
Taiwan is planning to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based X-ray imaging to customs clearance points over the next four years to curb the smuggling of contraband, a Customs Administration official said. The official on condition of anonymity said the plan would cover meat products, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, large bundles of banknotes and certain agricultural produce. Taiwan began using AI image recognition systems in July 2021. This year, generative AI — a subset of AI which uses generative models to produce data — would be used to train AI models to produce realistic X-ray images of contraband, the official
RSS