TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Tuesday (Nov. 22) kicked off its Taiwan e-Government and Smart City Workshop, which is held under the ministry’s Taiwan Digital Opportunity Center (TDOC).
Nine government officials and technicians from Taiwan's Pacific Island allies, including the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and Tuvalu, are participating in the training workshop, per a MOFA press release. The trainees will attend special lectures organized by the Institute for Information Industry (III) to gain an in-depth understanding of Taiwan’s digital development, smart government, digital sports, and green energy industry.
They will also travel to Kaohsiung to visit the AgriGaia Farm and to tour a local farm in Yilan to witness Taiwan's use of technology to improve agricultural productivity.
During the opening ceremony, Vice Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) pointed out that the application of science and technology is vital for global post-epidemic recovery.
Tien said MOFA launched the TDOC in 2019 to help Pacific Island allies and Southeast Asian countries boost their digital technology capabilities. This smart city workshop is a significant part of the TDOC project, he said.
The vice foreign minister mentioned Taiwan's success in assisting Belize to use a flood warning system to improve its ability to respond to natural disasters. He wished Taiwan's success in the Central American country could also be replicated in the four Pacific Island allies to benefit more people.
The vice foreign minister also said he hoped Taiwan's digital technology capabilities can help other diplomatic allies to improve people's well-being and achieve sustainable development goals.