To promote the New Southbound Policy and strengthen Taiwan’s scientific research collaboration and mutual exchange with Singapore and India, Deputy Minister Yu-Chin Hsu of Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) led a delegation to visit the two countries’ research institutions. The delegation was honored by Hsin-ya Huang, the director-general of MOST’s Department of International Cooperation and Science Education, Miao-Tzu Tsai, the senior executive officer of MOST’s Department of Foresight and Innovation Policies, and experts from the four MOST Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Centers in National Taiwan University (NTU), National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU).

Singapore has been aggressive in transforming itself into a smart nation by harnessing AI technology to facilitate the domestic development of smart living technologies. To step up the efforts, the government of Singapore has established the AI Singapore (AISG) program office with the National University of Singapore (NUS) as the host. Taiwan delegation took the opportunity to visit AISG to learn more about the three pillars of the national program, namely AI Research, AI Technology, and AI Innovation. In a meeting, both parties expressed interest in joining hands in conducting research and developing AI applications for smart living.

Taiwan delegation also visited Certis CISCO Integrated Operations Centre at Changi Airport to observe the company’s innovative solutions for multi-industrial services at the airport and the Certis Centre for Applied Intelligence (CCAI), a research facility of Certis in Singapore. At CCAI, the delegation took an exclusive look at Certis’ technologies such as object detection in millimeter-wave, facial recognition system, security system prototype, as well as learning about its anti-money laundering procedures and visiting the office dedicated to the collaboration between Certis and the MOST AI Research Centers of NTU and NCTU.

Taiwan delegation then headed to India for the 10^th Meeting of India-Taiwan Joint Committee on Cooperation in Science and Technology. In the meeting, both parties decided on the priorities of upcoming bilateral research projects and conferences. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the MOST and Indian Council of Social Science Research to accommodate the New Southbound Policy. The MOU aims to enhance existing Taiwan-India technology cooperation in humanities and social sciences and to initiate a new chapter of the joint action.

Taiwan delegation joined the inauguration ceremony of Taiwan-India Joint Research Center on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning held at the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar. The research center is envisioned to promote academic-industrial collaboration in research and curriculum.

As another highlight of the itinerary, Hsinchu Science Park Bureau helped bridge the connection between three Taiwanese electric vehicle component manufacturers and India’s renowned car and electric scooter manufacturers, Mahindra and Mahindra Limited and Ather Energy, as well as the Technology Innovation International Park (TIIP) established by Century Development Corporation (CDC). These parties gathered to discuss on the outlooks for technology exchange and other cooperation opportunities.

Taiwan seeks to extend the collaboration with Singapore and India to its other areas of expertise, including smart machinery, green technology, biotechnology, national defense, and new agriculture. Taiwan is confident that by conducting constructive exchanges and establishing more joint platforms, bilateral trust, and diplomatic relations with the respective countries can be elevated. Such alliances, formal or informal, can also increase the international visibility of the Taiwan-Singapore and Taiwan-India joint research and academic communities, showcasing their achievements in various technology areas to the world.

Deputy Minister Yu-Chin Hsu of MOST (no. 9 from right), Director-General Wayne Wang of Hsinchu Science Park Bureau (no. 7 from right), Director Kai-Han Steven Chang of CDC India (no.5 from right), and Taiwan delegation at TIIP.