The legislature yesterday inaugurated an association dedicated to promoting digital technologies, with the aim of improving communication between government and industry.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) is to lead the Taiwan Parliamentary Association for Digital Technology and New Economy Industry, with lawmakers from all three parties in the legislature to serve as vice chairs.
While the government hopes to expand the digital economy’s contribution to GDP, current regulations cannot keep pace with the rate of technological change, Lin told an event at the legislature in Taipei marking the founding of the group.
Photo courtesy of Lin’s office
Changes to the Securities Investment Trust and Consulting Act (證券投資信託及顧問法) were passed in the last legislative session requiring those advertising investments online to register with their legal name in an attempt to stop fraud, she said.
Lawmakers also hope to raise fraud awareness by including financial literacy in a draft “youth basic act,” she added.
The association is planning five major actions for the current session, including adjusting laws to cultivate talent in artificial intelligence (AI), promoting international exchanges, securing digital transactions, fostering financial and digital literacy, and planning smart cities, Lin said.
DPP Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑), a vice chair of the association, said that helping Taiwan’s electronics and semiconductor manufacturers adopt digital technologies is crucial.
Hsu vowed to explore how to help small and medium-sized enterprises — which comprise 98 percent of all Taiwanese businesses, but tend to lack resources — to incorporate the same technologies.
The digital economy is not limited to just AI, but also includes the sharing economy, smart cities, digital transactions and more, Legislative Yuan Deputy Secretary-General Chang Yu-jung (張裕榮) said.
Innovators are taking the lead in pushing technology forward, but the government needs to help maintain stability, Digital Economy Association, Taiwan executive director Marvin Ma (馬培治) said.
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