SDG3
President Lai Attends Groundbreaking of NCKU Shalun Hospital, Advancing Taiwan’s National Healthcare Development
Written by Hsu Tsu-Yueh. Image credit to NCKU News Center.
National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Shalun Hospital held its groundbreaking ceremony on the morning of the 18th in Kuei-Jen District, Tainan. President Lai Ching-te attended the event in person and presided over the ceremony. He was joined by representatives from central government agencies, Tainan Deputy Mayor Chao Ching-hui, NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen, former President Huey-Jen Su, and NCKU Hospital Superintendent Jing-Wei Lee. Together, they took part in prayer and the groundbreaking ritual. Guests from the medical field, industry, and academia were also present. The ceremony marked an important moment for southern Taiwan as it moves toward a forward-looking city vision guided by smart technology, cross-disciplinary integration, and sustainable health. It also marked a key milestone in the development of smart healthcare in Taiwan.
NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen said that the groundbreaking marked a moment of great honor, emotion, and gratitude. For NCKU, it represents an important milestone in bringing together medicine, technology, and social responsibility. He noted that NCKU Shalun Hospital will cover about four hectares and is planned as a modern, forward-looking smart hospital offering 664 beds, with completion targeted for 2030. The hospital is expected to serve not only the Shalun Science Park, but also become a key medical pillar for the Tainan-Guanmiao region. President Shen emphasized that the hospital is the result of contributions from many individuals. He expressed special thanks to former NCKU President Huey-Jen Su, Taiwan Medical Association President Hsiang-Kuo Chen, Executive Yuan Advisor Meng-Yen Li, and President Lai Ching-te, noting that their support was critical to making the NCKU Shalun Hospital possible.
Tainan Deputy Mayor Chao Ching-hui, representing Mayor Huang Wei-che, delivered remarks and shared the city government’s experience of working closely with NCKU to plan a resilient hospital. She praised NCKU’s continued efforts and noted that the vision for the Shalun “Future City” began during President Lai’s term as Tainan mayor. She said the infrastructure will benefit not only the Hsinfeng area and northern Kaohsiung, but also serve as a leading national initiative in medical and healthcare technology, expressing her expectations for Shalun to become a model as a “Future City”.
President Lai Ching-te began his remarks by echoing NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen in expressing appreciation to all those who contributed to making the NCKU Shalun Hospital possible. He thanked leaders and representatives from central government agencies, including the Ministry of Education, the National Development Council, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, as well as local legislators and city council members from Tainan. He noted that the second phase of development for the Shalun Park is currently under review by the National Development Council. He expressed strong hope that the plan will move forward smoothly, as it is closely related to public welfare, regional economic growth, and infrastructure development. He emphasized that successful implementation depends not only on close cooperation between central and local governments, but also on strong and stable financial support from the central government. He also called on legislators across parties to support the review of the central government’s general budget and to advance discussions on the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures. A fairer allocation, he said, would strengthen local financial autonomy while preserving the central government’s ability to support local development, creating a win-win outcome.
President Lai stated that the future is an era of smart technology, and that the future of Taiwan’s healthcare lies in Shalun. The Shalun Medical Services and Innovation Park, jointly planned by NCKU and the Tainan City Government, is designed to respond to population aging as well as challenges in public governance and digital transformation. Once completed, Shalun Hospital will not only use artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and smart systems to advance medical care, but will also develop precision medicine to improve care efficiency and reduce the workload of healthcare professionals. At the same time, the hospital will work with research institutions to promote the development of smart healthcare and regenerative medicine, assuring Taiwan’s medical services continue to align with international standards.
President Lai said the Shalun Park will become a major smart health hub that drives medical innovation and strengthens public services in southern Taiwan. He described the project as a model of cooperation between the central and local governments. More than a medical facility, it represents a key step forward for Taiwan in smart healthcare, health governance, and balanced regional development. He thanked NCKU for its leading role in advancing the project and wished the construction to be smooth and successful. He expressed hope that the hospital will provide the best possible care for patients and help lead a new era of progress in smart and precision medicine in Taiwan.
President Lai Ching-te then presided over the prayer and groundbreaking ceremony for NCKU Shalun Hospital. Participants in the ceremony included NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen, Minister of MOE Ying-Yao Cheng, former NCKU President Huey-Jen Su, Tainan Deputy Mayor Chao Ching-hui, Taiwan Medical Association President Hsiang-Kuo Chen, National Development Council Minister Chun-Hsien Yeh, NCKU Hospital Superintendent Jing-Wei Lee, Legislator Ting-yu Wang, Dean of the College of Medicine Hsiu-Chi Cheng, Legislator Chun-Hsien Lin, Presidential Office Senior Advisor Liang-cheng Hahn, Legislator Ting-Fei Chen, Executive Yuan Advisor Meng-Yen Li, Legislator Lung-Chieh Hsieh, Ministry Health and Welfare Deputy Minister Jen-Hsiang Chuang, and Legislator Hui-Yuan Lai. Together, they offered prayers for a successful start to construction, a safe building process, and the smooth completion of NCKU Shalun Hospital.
Scale and Functions of NCKU Shalun Hospital
NCKU Shalun Hospital is the first-phase project and a flagship facility of the Shalun Medical Services and Innovation Park. The hospital, including a Children’s Medical Center, will provide a total of 664 beds, covering general care, psychiatric care, intensive care, and neonatal and pediatric services. It is designed to meet a wide range of needs, including acute care, critical care, and isolation treatment. The medical complex will consist of two connected buildings, the main hospital and the Children’s Medical Center, with two underground levels and multiple floors above ground. This design supports integrated medical services and allows for future expansion.
Once completed, NCKU Shalun Hospital will significantly improve access to medical resources in the Hsinfeng area, including Rende, Gueiren, Guanmiao, and Longci, while also serving surrounding areas such as Shanhua, Xinshi, Yongkang, and northern Kaohsiung.
According to estimates, once NCKU Shalun Hospital is completed, the number of general hospital beds per 10,000 people in the Hsinfeng area will increase from about 13.68 to 35.65, representing a roughly 160 percent increase in medical service capacity. In addition, NCKU Shalun Hospital will include a Children’s Medical Center serving southern Taiwan, providing care for children and newborns in the region. The hospital also plans to integrate precision medicine, biotechnology-based treatments, regenerative medicine, health management, and preventive medicine to meet future healthcare needs.
Overview and Key Features of the Shalun Medical Service and Innovation Park
The Shalun Medical Services and Innovation Park is a major national development project jointly promoted by National Cheng Kung University and the Tainan City Government. Building on the strengths in industry and research of the Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City (SSGESC), the park focuses on smart healthcare and digital governance, with the goal of creating a new model that integrates healthcare, innovation, industry, and daily living.
1. Taiwan’s First Medical Services Park Integrating Digital Innovation
The Shalun Park combines medical care, smart healthcare, big data, and sustainable urban planning, and is expected to become an important hub for healthcare and biotechnology in southern Taiwan. It will serve local residents while also integrating government, industry, academia, and research resources to attract domestic and global institutes. Planned functions include medical services, a Children’s Medical Center, smart healthcare innovation, health data governance and digital medicine, as well as disaster-resilient medical services. It is expected to become a comprehensive park boasting medical care, prevention, biotechnology, international collaboration, and city development.
2. Integration of Smart Healthcare, Digital Governance, and Industry-Research Collaboration
The park will introduce smart healthcare systems and digital governance supported by medicine, information technology, and artificial intelligence. It aims to develop a smart health cluster and scalable digital governance models to address challenges such as population aging and digital transformation. Planned facilities include health big data centers, precision medicine platforms, and AI-based and cloud-based remote medicine systems, contributing to a smart and livable future city in southern Taiwan.
3. International Collaboration and Biotechnology Development
To strengthen international collaborations and attract advanced medical and biotechnology industries, the Shalun Park has begun strategic exchanges with overseas smart healthcare clusters. These include visits to Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster in Japan in March, and dialogues with international partners such as Amazon Web Services and the Swedish Trade and Invest Council in Taipei in October and November. These exchanges focus on practical experience in smart hospitals, smart logistics, resilient hospital design, and sustainable healthcare. Looking ahead, the park will focus on precision health management, telemedicine, smart wards, and cell and regenerative medicine, aiming to enhance southern Taiwan’s competitiveness in the global healthcare and health industry through international cooperation and industry-academia-research integration. The project promotes academic and practical communications across industries and sectors, boosting the development of a resilient and forward-looking medical environment.
4. Project Development, Administrative Coordination, and Transparent Oversight
The Shalun Park is a major national development project that officially began after the central government approved a pilot plan in December 2021, making it Taiwan’s first innovation medical services park. To ensure quality and transparency, NCKU established a cross-agency oversight mechanism for hospital construction and procurement, involving judicial and government integrity units. In November 2023, then Vice President Lai Ching-te attended the hospital’s foundation-laying ceremony and affirmed the park’s vision and role in smart healthcare. He expressed hope that Shalun Hospital would further develop smart and precision medicine and become a key force in strengthening medical resilience in southern Taiwan.
Provider: NCKU News Center
Date: 2025-12-23
National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Shalun Hospital held its groundbreaking ceremony on the morning of the 18th in Kuei-Jen District, Tainan. President Lai Ching-te attended the event in person and presided over the ceremony. He was joined by representatives from central government agencies, Tainan Deputy Mayor Chao Ching-hui, NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen, former President Huey-Jen Su, and NCKU Hospital Superintendent Jing-Wei Lee. Together, they took part in prayer and the groundbreaking ritual. Guests from the medical field, industry, and academia were also present. The ceremony marked an important moment for southern Taiwan as it moves toward a forward-looking city vision guided by smart technology, cross-disciplinary integration, and sustainable health. It also marked a key milestone in the development of smart healthcare in Taiwan.
NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen said that the groundbreaking marked a moment of great honor, emotion, and gratitude. For NCKU, it represents an important milestone in bringing together medicine, technology, and social responsibility. He noted that NCKU Shalun Hospital will cover about four hectares and is planned as a modern, forward-looking smart hospital offering 664 beds, with completion targeted for 2030. The hospital is expected to serve not only the Shalun Science Park, but also become a key medical pillar for the Tainan-Guanmiao region. President Shen emphasized that the hospital is the result of contributions from many individuals. He expressed special thanks to former NCKU President Huey-Jen Su, Taiwan Medical Association President Hsiang-Kuo Chen, Executive Yuan Advisor Meng-Yen Li, and President Lai Ching-te, noting that their support was critical to making the NCKU Shalun Hospital possible.
Tainan Deputy Mayor Chao Ching-hui, representing Mayor Huang Wei-che, delivered remarks and shared the city government’s experience of working closely with NCKU to plan a resilient hospital. She praised NCKU’s continued efforts and noted that the vision for the Shalun “Future City” began during President Lai’s term as Tainan mayor. She said the infrastructure will benefit not only the Hsinfeng area and northern Kaohsiung, but also serve as a leading national initiative in medical and healthcare technology, expressing her expectations for Shalun to become a model as a “Future City”.
President Lai Ching-te began his remarks by echoing NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen in expressing appreciation to all those who contributed to making the NCKU Shalun Hospital possible. He thanked leaders and representatives from central government agencies, including the Ministry of Education, the National Development Council, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, as well as local legislators and city council members from Tainan. He noted that the second phase of development for the Shalun Park is currently under review by the National Development Council. He expressed strong hope that the plan will move forward smoothly, as it is closely related to public welfare, regional economic growth, and infrastructure development. He emphasized that successful implementation depends not only on close cooperation between central and local governments, but also on strong and stable financial support from the central government. He also called on legislators across parties to support the review of the central government’s general budget and to advance discussions on the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures. A fairer allocation, he said, would strengthen local financial autonomy while preserving the central government’s ability to support local development, creating a win-win outcome.
President Lai stated that the future is an era of smart technology, and that the future of Taiwan’s healthcare lies in Shalun. The Shalun Medical Services and Innovation Park, jointly planned by NCKU and the Tainan City Government, is designed to respond to population aging as well as challenges in public governance and digital transformation. Once completed, Shalun Hospital will not only use artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and smart systems to advance medical care, but will also develop precision medicine to improve care efficiency and reduce the workload of healthcare professionals. At the same time, the hospital will work with research institutions to promote the development of smart healthcare and regenerative medicine, assuring Taiwan’s medical services continue to align with international standards.
President Lai said the Shalun Park will become a major smart health hub that drives medical innovation and strengthens public services in southern Taiwan. He described the project as a model of cooperation between the central and local governments. More than a medical facility, it represents a key step forward for Taiwan in smart healthcare, health governance, and balanced regional development. He thanked NCKU for its leading role in advancing the project and wished the construction to be smooth and successful. He expressed hope that the hospital will provide the best possible care for patients and help lead a new era of progress in smart and precision medicine in Taiwan.
President Lai Ching-te then presided over the prayer and groundbreaking ceremony for NCKU Shalun Hospital. Participants in the ceremony included NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen, Minister of MOE Ying-Yao Cheng, former NCKU President Huey-Jen Su, Tainan Deputy Mayor Chao Ching-hui, Taiwan Medical Association President Hsiang-Kuo Chen, National Development Council Minister Chun-Hsien Yeh, NCKU Hospital Superintendent Jing-Wei Lee, Legislator Ting-yu Wang, Dean of the College of Medicine Hsiu-Chi Cheng, Legislator Chun-Hsien Lin, Presidential Office Senior Advisor Liang-cheng Hahn, Legislator Ting-Fei Chen, Executive Yuan Advisor Meng-Yen Li, Legislator Lung-Chieh Hsieh, Ministry Health and Welfare Deputy Minister Jen-Hsiang Chuang, and Legislator Hui-Yuan Lai. Together, they offered prayers for a successful start to construction, a safe building process, and the smooth completion of NCKU Shalun Hospital.
Scale and Functions of NCKU Shalun Hospital
NCKU Shalun Hospital is the first-phase project and a flagship facility of the Shalun Medical Services and Innovation Park. The hospital, including a Children’s Medical Center, will provide a total of 664 beds, covering general care, psychiatric care, intensive care, and neonatal and pediatric services. It is designed to meet a wide range of needs, including acute care, critical care, and isolation treatment. The medical complex will consist of two connected buildings, the main hospital and the Children’s Medical Center, with two underground levels and multiple floors above ground. This design supports integrated medical services and allows for future expansion.
Once completed, NCKU Shalun Hospital will significantly improve access to medical resources in the Hsinfeng area, including Rende, Gueiren, Guanmiao, and Longci, while also serving surrounding areas such as Shanhua, Xinshi, Yongkang, and northern Kaohsiung.
According to estimates, once NCKU Shalun Hospital is completed, the number of general hospital beds per 10,000 people in the Hsinfeng area will increase from about 13.68 to 35.65, representing a roughly 160 percent increase in medical service capacity. In addition, NCKU Shalun Hospital will include a Children’s Medical Center serving southern Taiwan, providing care for children and newborns in the region. The hospital also plans to integrate precision medicine, biotechnology-based treatments, regenerative medicine, health management, and preventive medicine to meet future healthcare needs.
Overview and Key Features of the Shalun Medical Service and Innovation Park
The Shalun Medical Services and Innovation Park is a major national development project jointly promoted by National Cheng Kung University and the Tainan City Government. Building on the strengths in industry and research of the Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City (SSGESC), the park focuses on smart healthcare and digital governance, with the goal of creating a new model that integrates healthcare, innovation, industry, and daily living.
1. Taiwan’s First Medical Services Park Integrating Digital Innovation
The Shalun Park combines medical care, smart healthcare, big data, and sustainable urban planning, and is expected to become an important hub for healthcare and biotechnology in southern Taiwan. It will serve local residents while also integrating government, industry, academia, and research resources to attract domestic and global institutes. Planned functions include medical services, a Children’s Medical Center, smart healthcare innovation, health data governance and digital medicine, as well as disaster-resilient medical services. It is expected to become a comprehensive park boasting medical care, prevention, biotechnology, international collaboration, and city development.
2. Integration of Smart Healthcare, Digital Governance, and Industry-Research Collaboration
The park will introduce smart healthcare systems and digital governance supported by medicine, information technology, and artificial intelligence. It aims to develop a smart health cluster and scalable digital governance models to address challenges such as population aging and digital transformation. Planned facilities include health big data centers, precision medicine platforms, and AI-based and cloud-based remote medicine systems, contributing to a smart and livable future city in southern Taiwan.
3. International Collaboration and Biotechnology Development
To strengthen international collaborations and attract advanced medical and biotechnology industries, the Shalun Park has begun strategic exchanges with overseas smart healthcare clusters. These include visits to Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster in Japan in March, and dialogues with international partners such as Amazon Web Services and the Swedish Trade and Invest Council in Taipei in October and November. These exchanges focus on practical experience in smart hospitals, smart logistics, resilient hospital design, and sustainable healthcare. Looking ahead, the park will focus on precision health management, telemedicine, smart wards, and cell and regenerative medicine, aiming to enhance southern Taiwan’s competitiveness in the global healthcare and health industry through international cooperation and industry-academia-research integration. The project promotes academic and practical communications across industries and sectors, boosting the development of a resilient and forward-looking medical environment.
4. Project Development, Administrative Coordination, and Transparent Oversight
The Shalun Park is a major national development project that officially began after the central government approved a pilot plan in December 2021, making it Taiwan’s first innovation medical services park. To ensure quality and transparency, NCKU established a cross-agency oversight mechanism for hospital construction and procurement, involving judicial and government integrity units. In November 2023, then Vice President Lai Ching-te attended the hospital’s foundation-laying ceremony and affirmed the park’s vision and role in smart healthcare. He expressed hope that Shalun Hospital would further develop smart and precision medicine and become a key force in strengthening medical resilience in southern Taiwan.
Provider: NCKU News Center
Date: 2025-12-23
President Lai Ching-te attends the groundbreaking ceremony for NCKU Shalun Hospital, joining distinguished guests to witness a historic moment.
NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen expresses gratitude to key supporters in his opening remarks.
Tainan Deputy Mayor Chao Ching-hui delivers remarks on behalf of Mayor Huang Wei-che.
President Lai Ching-te states that the future of Taiwan’s healthcare lies in Shalun in an era of smart technology.
NCKU Shalun Hospital holds its groundbreaking ceremony on the morning of the 18th in Gueiren District, Tainan.
President Lai Ching-te presides over the ceremony.
NCKU Shalun Hospital is the first-phase project of the Shalun Medical Services and Innovation Park.
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