To achieve balanced development across Taiwan, the government is implementing six major regional flagship projects to develop the unique industries and living spaces in six regions comprising Taiwan. One of these flagship projects is a plan to promote a new Silicon Valley in the greater southern region of Taiwan. The plan aims to create an AI-focused industrial ecosystem centered around Tainan's Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City and extending outward to the surrounding S-shaped semiconductor cluster, developing and integrating science parks and technology industrial parks in Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung. This initiative will comprehensively upgrade industrial capabilities, from AI technology R&D to systems development, propelling Taiwan into the era of AI applications and driving digital and net-zero transformations across all industries, thereby boosting the nation's overall competitiveness in the global tech industry and promoting Taiwan as an "AI island."
Major strategies
■ Augment computing power: Public-private collaboration will foster environments for the research and development of high-performance computing, large-scale data storage and AI applications. These efforts will enhance the nation's overall computing capacity, advance the innovation and adoption of AI technologies and accelerate the growth of the AI industry.
■ Attract talent: The plan will promote wider adoption of AI applications and AI talent training for small and medium-sized enterprises through platforms such as the Shalun cybersecurity service base, a chip and system integration service platform, and a compound semiconductor technology talent training base. This will foster cross-domain expertise and attract international talent, providing the human resources needed for the digital transformation of industries in southern Taiwan.
■ Connect the ecosystem: The S-shaped semiconductor cluster of science parks and technology industrial parks, spanning from Chiayi to Pingtung, will be connected with Tainan's Shalun Smart Green Energy City and Kaohsiung's Asia New Bay Area Intelligent Technology Innovation Park. This connection aims to spur industrial system integration and create an economic ecosystem for semiconductors and AI.
■ Expand AI applications: AI software and hardware will be leveraged to develop key industries in southern Taiwan, such as smart dining, health care, smart retail, lifestyle applications, information and communications technologies, metal processing and automotive components, thus establishing the southern region as the leading AI technology hub for all industries.