President Tsai Ing-wen attended Nov. 1 the Industrial Technology Research Institute Fellows Charter Ceremony in northern Taiwan’s Hsinchu County, during which five individuals were inducted as fellows in the government-supported nonprofit R&D organization.
At the ceremony, the fifth such event ever held by the institute, ITRI Chairman Wu Tsung-tsong outlined ongoing efforts to promote local industries ranging from agriculture and cosmetics to tourism and virtual reality gaming.
When speaking at the event, Tsai said her administration’s economic policies aim to not only boost the nation’s exports, but also help foster the next generation of innovators.
The president said one of her top priorities is to increase the nation’s productivity in order to boost the economy and improve the quality of life for every resident. ITRI’s new fellows, along with the 21 others who have received the honor over the past five years, are playing an important part in realizing this goal, she said, adding that recognizing such prominent academics demonstrates the highest respect for their achievements.
Tsai also commended all the ITRI fellows for their in-depth professional knowledge and practical experience, and for embodying the entrepreneurial spirit critical for the nation to achieve success. Their expert suggestions will be vital as Taiwan forges ahead with its economic transformation, she said.
Many of Taiwan’s foremost academics, intellectuals and policymakers were present at the ceremony. Among those in attendance were Economics Minister Lee Chih-kung, Science and Technology Minister Yang Hung-duen and Hsinchu County Magistrate Chiu Ching-chun. (WF-E)
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