TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) underscored Taiwan's ambition to become an artificial intelligence (AI) island, and stressed the importance of aiding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in digital and net-zero transitions on Friday (July 12).
Attending the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (工商協進會) meeting earlier that day, Premier Cho expressed confidence that AI represents national strength and innovation should benefit everyone, ensuring all citizens feel the impact of transformative progress.
While the government has allocated NT$900 billion to achieve the 2050 net-zero transition and aims to develop more energy resources, Premier Cho also stated that industry efforts combined with government policies can help Taiwan keep pace with global trends. He expressed optimism about Taiwan's capabilities, preparations, and conditions to elevate its economic might.
The Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant (核三廠) must cease operations on July 27 due to legal requirements and the lack of safety inspections initiated five years ago, making continued power generation impossible afterward.
Premier Cho noted that equipment replacement, safety checks, and seismic inspections are necessary before discussing a possible extension, which could take three to five years and render both units unable to generate power.
Premier Cho acknowledged the current inadequacies in the resilient power grid, which frequently causes blackouts. He committed to accelerating nationwide grid completion within a timeframe shorter than ten years to minimize blackout occurrences.
Premier Cho admitted uncertainty regarding nuclear energy's future but remains open to various possibilities, and affirmed that the only current solution is to develop green energy.
