The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) held its flagship innovation event of the year today (June 10), featuring the joint award ceremony for the National Industrial Innovation Award and the National Invention and Creation Award. A total of 92 outstanding achievements were recognized, spotlighting Taiwan's robust capabilities in semiconductors, AI, healthcare, and sustainability. Premier Cho Jung-tai called on award recipients to continue driving innovation forward and contribute lasting momentum to Taiwan's economic growth. This year's Distinguished Innovation Award in the Organization Category went to Realtek Semiconductor, Onyx Healthcare, and ITRI's Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories. Four government agencies were also honored for their contributions to policy innovation and regional industry development. Their achievements exemplify the strong synergy among Taiwan's industry, government, academia, and research sectors in propelling the nation's economic future.

In his remarks, Premier Cho highlighted Taiwan's impressive ranking of 8th among 67 countries in the latest IMD World Competitiveness Ranking. He also noted that Taiwan ranks 3rd globally in both total R&D expenditure and business R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP. These rankings reflect the deepening commitment from both public and private sectors to investing in research and development-efforts that have earned consistent international recognition. In tandem with promoting the Five Trusted Industry Sectors, relevant ministries and agencies are currently drafting a "Top 10 AI Infrastructure Projects" program aimed at accelerating the next wave of AI development in Taiwan by scaling up industrial applications, integrating AI across various sectors, and facilitating AI adoption in both industry and government, ultimately building the most comprehensive AI supply chain. Meanwhile, this year saw the addition of a Government Agencies category, introduced to encourage government bodies to champion an innovative mindset, foster close collaboration with industry, and deliver tangible benefits for the public. Premier Cho concluded by emphasizing the shared goal of Taiwan's domestic industry: to maintain our global leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. He urged the industry to adopt a "Taiwan plus" approach that anchors investments in Taiwan while expanding global reach and competitiveness.

Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo noted that the 9th National Industrial Innovation Award recognized 25 organizations, 8 teams, and 19 individuals from a total of 305 entries-a remarkable display of Taiwan's innovation prowess. In semiconductors and AI, Realtek Semiconductor leads the global market in Ethernet chipsets and is expanding its core technologies into automotive and smart healthcare applications through diverse products and patents. Kneron, on the other hand, is advancing practical uses of large language models by offering powerful Edge AI computing solutions worldwide. In the healthcare arena, ITRI's Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories have pioneered a Virtual-Physical Integration Innovation Cross-Domain Platform for Digital Healthcare, energizing Taiwan's push toward digital innovation. On the net-zero sustainability front, TSMC has built a world-leading zero-waste manufacturing center, cutting carbon emissions by more than 40,000 tons each year in support of a circular green economy. Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp is also contributing to global sustainability through its marine waste recycling technology.

Minister Kuo commended the 40 recipients of the National Invention and Creation Award, selected from 418 entries. With half of the winning entries from enterprises, it underscores the importance of strategic patent deployment in Taiwan's industrial sector. These innovations span a broad range of fields, including 5G, smart AI healthcare, assistive devices for seniors, agricultural sensing, and smart living applications, all helping to cement Taiwan's leadership in future-ready patent development.

Beyond celebrating industrial innovation, this year's award ceremony also embraced social care and human connection. The MOEA specially invited the choir from Baolai Junior High School in Kaohsiung's Liouguei District to perform, with the hope of inspiring greater support for education in rural communities. Looking to the future, the MOEA reaffirms its role as a guiding force that unites industry, government, academia, and research institutions to forge an even more competitive economic landscape for Taiwan on the global stage.