Taiwan is Not a Pawn, but an Opportunity for a Comeback: Academician Chin-Yi Chu Delivers a Captivating Speech to NCKU Students-國立成功大學永續發展SDGs

Advisor of the Executive Yuan’s Economic Development Committee and Academician Chin-Yi Chu of the Academia Sinica was invited to attend the forum "Trump's Return: Exploring New Opportunities for Taiwan," jointly organized by the College of Social Sciences at National Cheng Kung University, the Taiwan Economic Association, the Central Broadcasting System, and the Institute of Economics at Academia Sinica on December 4. The NCKU International Conference Hall was filled to capacity, with no empty seats, and the aisles were crowded with attendees eager to hear the expert's insights, which was a rare occasion.


Academician Chin-Yi Chu gave a keynote speech titled "US-China Technology and Economic Competition," starting by stating that "geopolitics is no longer the focus." He emphasized that many international analyses that focus on geopolitical factors have undergone significant changes in the internet age. The development of cyberspace has thoroughly impacted national development priorities, with a particular focus on the importance of technology warfare. Chu discussed global transport security, the challenges of the Russia-Ukraine war and COVID-19 over the past decade, and how Taiwan's future industrial development hinges on its ability to navigate the rise of China in the digital age.


"How should Taiwan carve its own path between the two superpowers, the US and China? Should Taiwan merely follow the US?" Academician Chu explained that Taiwan occupies a special position internationally. With Trump returning to the White House and threatening tariff wars, these issues will cause fluctuations in the market. Rising prices and public dissatisfaction will indirectly affect votes. Technology wars, which focus on innovative research and development, offer Taiwan certain advantages and will heavily impact the Chinese market. Given that the technology war will be long-lasting, Taiwan must learn to leverage its advantages and not necessarily follow anyone's lead. "Taiwan is not a pawn in anyone's game. We should not limit ourselves. We can do a lot, and even change the situation. We should not underestimate ourselves."


Academician Chu’s speech was captivating, leaving no dull moments and winning loud applause. To continue the lively atmosphere, NCKU's College of Social Sciences arranged a discussion session with Professor Hung-Jen Wang of NCKU’s Department of Political Science, Executive Director of the National Policy Foundation Education and Culture Foundation, Zhen-Yu Lee, Chief Economist of Taiwan Shin Kong Financial Holdings, Professor Wei-Che Tsai, Chairperson of the Department of Finance at National Sun Yat-sen University, and Professor Wen-Hsun Lee, Vice President of Asia University and Distinguished Professor of NCKU’s Department of Electrical Engineering. They discussed "Trade War? Technology War? The Post-Election Changes in the US and Their Impact on the World and Taiwan."


Vice President of National Cheng Kung University, Professor 
Woei-Jer Chuang, stated that it was an honor to invite Academician Chin-Yi Chu to give a lecture at NCKU. Chu is a prominent figure in both domestic and international economics and has made outstanding achievements in academic research and practical policy in fields such as law and economics, industrial economics, and labor economics. Chu also has rich practical experience, having promoted Taiwan's important technological and research transformations during his tenure as Minister of Science and Technology and his involvement in international economics and trade matters as Taiwan’s WTO Ambassador. Recently, he has actively participated in policy planning and execution, including industry development, technological innovation, and human resource enhancement, providing forward-looking strategies and outstanding contributions to Taiwan’s economic development.


Vice President Chuang added that he often believes that students only learn knowledge in school, but rarely do courses teach how to communicate with others. As a small island country, Taiwan must rely on teamwork to negotiate with major powers. It is crucial for students to learn how to communicate with those outside their field of study. NCKU is committed to expanding international cooperation and cross-disciplinary exchange to continuously enhance the international perspective of both faculty and students. In particular, Academician Chu’s recent book, "One Thousand Volumes of Agriculture and Reading, One Volume of Review", explores how the world and Taiwan should respond when great powers confront each other, spreading across economics, technology, and diplomacy, resulting in a comprehensive value conflict.


Tainan Deputy Mayor  Qing-Hui Zhao, in his speech, mentioned that after President Lai took office, many of the policies he introduced focused on the issues raised by Academician Chu. These include the establishment of an AI industry zone in the Shalun area in June, with the semiconductor giant AMD set to move into the Shalun Cybersecurity Building in January. The Shalun area will also house a medical data center, all key developments in the Southern Taiwan Science Park. This is an important indicator of the economic development of Tainan and Taiwan, with Southern Taiwan Science Park’s revenue surpassing Hsinchu Science Park this year, which is a significant milestone.


Rui-Chang Zhang, Director-General of the Central Broadcasting System, also spoke, saying that this is the first time the Central Broadcasting System has held an event outside of Taipei and the first time it has collaborated with NCKU and the Institute of Economics at Academia Sinica to organize a forum. It is also the first time they have invited the distinguished speaker, Academician Chin-Yi Chu. Zhang shared that he has known Academician Chu for over 30 years. Starting from the ancient capital, this event represents innovation and progress, as well as the transmission of values. As the national public broadcaster, they are honored to participate in this forum and hope that students will return home enriched with knowledge and memorable experiences.