The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in interruptions of the transport flow of people and goods and each country became aware of resilience. Therefore, resilience has become more important than efficiency to resist systematical risks in the economy, society, and environment. Like other countries around the world, Taiwan also faces challenges of an ageing population, extreme climate change, and the rapid emergence of AI and 5G technologies.
The 2021 Presidential Hackathon invites Hackers from all over the world are welcomed to submit proposals from May 14 to July 16. Under the theme of “Sustainability 2.0 Resilient Island,” hackers are invited to utilise Taiwan’s digital competitiveness from the perspective of national sustainable development.
They need to incorporate post-pandemic resilient thinking for better solutions, which respond to citizens’ wishes and could be implemented by the government. A more sustainable future will be achieved when there is a strong partnership between the public and private sector.
This year’s hackathon focuses on seven areas: Digital Transformation, Smart and Resilient Urban and Rural, Human Capital, Circular Economy, Energy Transition Decarbonisation Acceleration, Food and Farming Sustainable Education Conservation, and Cross-Boundary Integration. Hackers are welcomed to make good use of Taiwan’s digital advantage and work together to build Taiwan into resilient islands.
Taiwan’s cybersecurity landscape has been one of the top priorities of its government. As reported by OpenGov Asia, The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) held a cybersecurity exhibition, the Cyber Taiwan Pavilion. The MOEA’s Industrial Development Bureau has utilised domain scenario designs and simulations to present how Taiwan’s cybersecurity has been preparing to serve as the security backbone of the city of the future. This includes smart transportation cybersecurity, 5G cybersecurity, operational technology security and smart manufacturing cybersecurity.
For three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021, the President of Taiwan attended the exhibition to emphasise the importance of the self-development of the cybersecurity industry and to encourage domestic manufacturers to upgrade cybersecurity technology capabilities. The President stated that it is their goal to make Taiwan the world’s most trusted partner in the cybersecurity industry chain. Moreover, Taiwan’s cybersecurity industry flourished, with an 11.9% growth rate.
The 2021 Cyber Taiwan Pavilion showcases the invisible yet powerful cybersecurity defences of the 5G security of the drone industry chain from IC chips, modules, networks and devices, as well as the security of the internet of the vehicle set-top boxes and smart bus stops in smart transportation. It performs cyberattack simulation training sessions in operational technology and Taiwanese supply-and-demand side collaboration in smart manufacturing.
Meanwhile, the Cyber Taiwan Pavilion has also gathered together Taiwan’s homegrown cybersecurity industries with R&D potential to provide the localised support and industry security. The Industrial Development Bureau will continue to integrate various resources to assist industries in better understanding and adopting cybersecurity measures. At the same time, they also want to ensure that the “Made in Taiwan, Safe and Secure” brand will continue to shine and serve as the best cybersecurity partner in the global supply chain.
Taiwan’s for its cybersecurity is “Build Taiwan as a safe and reliable digital country”. The vision aims to gradually improve the nation’s overall cybersecurity defensive capabilities’ energy through prospective policies and nationally integrated resource investments.
Taiwan has three main goals to achieve its vision on cybersecurity. First is constructing a national united defence system in cybersecurity. The second is upgrading the overall protection mechanism in cybersecurity. The third is enhancing the development of self-managed industries in cybersecurity.
To construct a national united defence system, improve the overall cybersecurity protection mechanism, enhance the development of cybersecurity self-managed industries, and ensure the digital homeland’s security, the cybersecurity programme included four facilitating strategies of “Complete the cybersecurity infrastructure”, “Construct a national united defence system in cybersecurity”, “Increase the self-development energy of cybersecurity”, and “Nurture excellent talents in the field of cybersecurity to gradually facilitate the advanced protection of national cybersecurity and an integrated protection system to create a safe and reliable digital country.