Taipei: Newly-appointed National Development Council (NDC) Minister Yeh Chun-hsien emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing Taiwan's new economy. During a handover ceremony, Yeh outlined his priorities for Taiwan's industrial innovation following his official takeover from former Minister Liu Chin-ching, who stepped down due to health reasons.

According to Focus Taiwan, Yeh, a research fellow at Academia Sinica's Institute of Economics, pledged to align his efforts with the National Development Plan for 2025-2028. This plan focuses on four main policy areas: driving an innovation-led economy, ensuring balanced development across Taiwan, enhancing governance, and investing in talent. The minister also reiterated the NDC's commitment to bolstering the government's Five Trusted Industry Sectors: semiconductors, AI, military, security and surveillance, and next-generation communications.

A Cabinet statement from September 2024 highlighted that targeting these five sectors will position Taiwan to seize new business opportunities arising from changing geopolitical dynamics and secure vital roles within global supply chains, thereby bolstering national strength. Yeh announced plans for 10 new AI infrastructure initiatives, recognizing AI as a cornerstone of Taiwan's future economy. He also affirmed the continuation of the NDC's NT$10 billion fund aimed at supporting industrial transformation.

Regarding talent investment, Yeh introduced the "National Talent Competitiveness Program 2.0," designed to enhance the quality of Taiwan's workforce, build international competitiveness among the new generation, and foster a bilingual-friendly environment to attract global talent. He stressed the necessity of public understanding and support, stating that policy implementation depends on the NDC's ability to coordinate across government agencies and collaborate with local governments.