Receiving representatives from award-winning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at the Executive Yuan today, Premier Jiang Yi-huah highlighted the importance of business integrity and pledged the government's ongoing commitment to supporting entrepreneurial innovation and fighting unscrupulous business practices.
Speaking to winners of the 22nd National Award of Outstanding SMEs and the 15th Outstanding Overseas Taiwanese SMEs Award, the premier said SMEs are the backbone of the economy, bringing domestic stability by creating jobs and improving livelihoods while competing internationally with their resilience and resourcefulness. Referring to the award winners as the "pride of Taiwan," Jiang added that they have set the benchmark for other SMEs.
Jiang said he will be visiting many more SMEs in the near future to better communicate with them and hear their suggestions. "SMEs drive the growth of Taiwan's economy, and their positive influence will continue to bring hope to the economy," he added.
Commenting on the recent food scare involving tainted cooking oil, Jiang stressed that businesses must maintain their integrity or else lose all of their wealth and reputation one day and cause great detriment to the society too. The fraud perpetrated by those cooking oil companies is absolutely unacceptable to the SME award winners and to the people of Taiwan. He said the government will beef up inspections of food products and other manufacturing industries and go after dishonest businesses.
The premier met with 15 SME representatives today and was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Woody Tyzz-Jiun Duh and National Association of Small & Medium Enterprises R.O.C. Vice Chairman Chen Jui-hung.
The awards—known as the Oscars of Taiwan SMEs—are orchestrated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. This year's winners include nine businesses based domestically and six overseas.