TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Finnovation HUB (高雄金融科技創新園區), Kaohsiung's financial technology park, hosted an international forum Wednesday (July 23), seeking to transform Taiwan's southern industrial city into a regional green finance center. Liao Tai-hsiang (廖泰翔), director-general of Kaohsiung City's Economic Development Bureau (經發局), declared the municipal government will harness the port city's robust industrial foundation to bridge financial institutions and establish Kaohsiung as Asia's next financial powerhouse.
Experts from Taiwan and Singapore explored cutting-edge topics including green fintech applications, deep tech commercialization, Web 3.0 and blockchain financial transformation, and tokenization of physical assets for sustainable finance markets. Liao emphasized that Tuesday's unveiling ceremony of Kaohsiung's Asian Asset Management hub attracted nearly 50 financial institutions, signaling the city's ambitious plans to provide innovative investment and financing opportunities. The convergence of regional expertise highlighted growing cross-border collaboration in Asia's evolving financial technology landscape.
Liao underscored Kaohsiung's significance as Taiwan's major industrial center, accounting for one-fifth of the nation's total carbon emissions. The municipal government integrates high-tech sectors including semiconductors, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence to boost operational efficiency while achieving substantial energy savings and carbon reduction targets. Fan Chien-te (范建得), dean of National Tsing Hua University's (NTHU, 清華大學) College of Sustainability, observed that the forum enabled meaningful dialogue between Singapore and Taiwan on green finance and technological innovation, incorporating Singapore's proven expertise.
The Economic Development Bureau announced that the forum culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Finnovation HUB and Singapore's Global FinTech Institute (全球金融科技學院). The bilateral agreement aims to strengthen the regional fintech ecosystem through enhanced collaboration and accelerated talent development programs. This partnership represents a strategic milestone in Taiwan's efforts to integrate with Southeast Asia's rapidly expanding financial technology sector and establish sustainable cross-border innovation networks. ◼
