TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's commanding position in the global semiconductor industry was on full display Tuesday (May 20) as President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) opened COMPUTEX Taipei 2025 with a vision of the island nation as the linchpin of the world's artificial intelligence revolution. The president's remarks underscored Taiwan's ambitions amid growing international competition for technological supremacy.
This small democratic island manufactures an astonishing 90% of the planet's advanced semiconductor chips, a technological dominance that has made Taiwan indispensable to global innovation. At the sprawling Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, industry leaders and government officials gathered to witness cutting-edge demonstrations of how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the NT$18.1 trillion (approximately US$600 billion) semiconductor industry that forms the backbone of modern digital life.
"This year's COMPUTEX theme, 'AI Next,' highlights how we're at the forefront of a tech revolution. AI is set to transform our lives, industries, and even the world itself in the next generation," President Lai declared to a packed auditorium of technology executives, international buyers, and media representatives. His words resonated through the exhibition halls where Taiwan's technological achievements were on prominent display.
Standing before an audience of global technology leaders, President Lai highlighted Taiwan's unique technological ecosystem as the foundation for AI innovation. "The driving force behind 'AI Next' is computing power. Taiwan's strong semiconductor, ICT, and AI industries form a complete ecosystem that is vital to making this possible," he stated, emphasizing the island's integrated approach to technological development that spans from chip design to manufacturing.
TAITRA Chairman James C. F. Huang (黃志芳), whose organization co-hosts the annual technology showcase, emphasized the exhibition's crucial position in shaping AI's trajectory. "AI Next is our theme this year, COMPUTEX is an essential bridge to the next chapter of AI. Connecting hardware and software, computing power, and most importantly, human and artificial intelligence," he said during a press briefing attended by representatives from major global technology firms.
Throughout the exhibition halls, a palpable mix of optimism and strategic caution permeates discussions as Taiwan navigates the complex challenge of securing its technological future through substantial international investments. In private meetings and public forums, industry executives repeatedly affirmed their determination to preserve Taiwan's leadership position in what analysts project will become a NT$30.2 trillion (US$1 trillion) industry, despite escalating geopolitical pressures from China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.
Chairman of the Taipei Computer Association (台北市電腦商業同業公會) Paul S.L. Peng (彭双浪) beamed with pride as he described the exhibition's global reach. "COMPUTEX shines globally thanks to the strength of over 1,000 Taiwanese ICT companies. This year, it attracted industry leaders, professionals, and buyers from more than 160 countries and regions," Peng noted, gesturing toward the crowded exhibition floor where international business cards were being exchanged at a furious pace.
In his comprehensive address, President Lai outlined a three-pronged strategy for Taiwan's technological future: reinforcing the island as the bedrock of global AI innovation, aggressively expanding Taiwan's international market footprint, and establishing coordinated national teams to bolster software development across critical sectors. His vision encompasses applications ranging from national defense systems to autonomous vehicles, advanced robotics, and satellite communications—areas where Taiwan seeks to complement its hardware dominance with software expertise.
Despite looming concerns about rising global tariffs that could fracture essential supply chains — particularly amid ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions — the prevailing sentiment at COMPUTEX 2025 remains resolutely forward-looking. Conversations throughout the exhibition's bustling corridors repeatedly circle back to a single theme: Taiwan's unwavering determination to cement its position as the indispensable nucleus of the emerging AI-powered global economy. ◼
