The 2024 Taipei Smart City Summit & Expo is held from March 19th to 22nd at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2. Today (20th), the Taichung City Government organized a press conference on the achievements of developing Taichung as a smart city. Deputy Mayor Cheng Chao-hsin led a team to the exhibition, where they showcased Taichung's advancements in digital transformation and net zero emissions, illustrating the city's innovative spirit and competitive edge through various smart applications. Deputy Mayor Cheng noted that Taichung’s achievements in digital transformation and net zero emissions, showcased in this exhibition, demonstrate Taichung's commitment to the Twin Transition, with the aim of creating a more livable city.

Deputy Mayor Cheng emphasized the city government's commitment to the Twin Transition through digital transformation and net zero emissions, with the goal of improving the quality of life for citizens. Regarding digital transformation, Taichung's e-Taichung app won the 2024 GO SMART Award this year. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Bureau was honored with the 2024 Innovative Application Award for its project “AI Sand Source Identification for Comprehensive Dust Control along Rivers,” showcasing impressive progress in Taichung's smart city initiatives.

Deputy Mayor Cheng highlighted the synergistic relationship between digital transformation and net zero emissions. For instance, the e-Taichung app enables citizens to access municipal services online. It facilitates the online redemption of rewards for events such as the Taichung Shopping Festival and the Taichung Hotpot and Barbecue Festival. This not only saves paper usage but also reduces the need for people to travel, thus providing convenience to citizens while working towards sustainable net zero objectives.

Deputy Mayor Cheng said that with Taichung's population soon exceeding 2.85 million, this growth is a strong indicator of the city's identity. Bringing these achievements to Taipei for display, Taichung looks forward to utilizing the Smart City Summit & Expo as a platform for constructive dialogue and exchange with other cities and private enterprises. The goal is to steadfastly propel Taichung towards its vision of becoming a smart city with zero carbon emissions.

Director Lin Ku-lung of the Digital Affairs Bureau, Taichung City Government highlighted Mayor Lu's emphasis on the notion that “digital prowess is a city’s competitiveness.” This year, the Taichung exhibition area is organized around four main themes, showcasing a range of smart solutions. For instance, Smart Governance features the e-Taichung app, open data and geographic information; Smart Environment features technological solutions to air and water pollution and governance; Smart Transportation features innovative applications like smart road signs; and Smart Living features convenient services such as the Taichung Social Housing platform and real estate information search service. Additionally, live demonstrations of IoT, AR/VR, and other advanced technologies are presented at the venue. Everyone is encouraged to visit the Taichung City Government booth for discussions and insights.

Director Lin noted that the Taichung exhibition area is the largest scale seen in Taichung's history of participation in the Smart City Summit & Expo. On the first day alone, delegations from various domestic and international entities such as Chiayi City, Malaysia, Germany, South Korea, and Thailand visited. The following day, a delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, also came, facilitating discussions on smart city initiatives and digital development topics. The Digital Affairs Bureau of Taichung City Government remains open-minded and looks forward to future collaboration with all sectors to promote and achieve the vision of a smart city collectively.

Today, several dignitaries of the Taichung City Government attended the Taichung Smart City Achievement Press Conference, including Deputy Mayor Cheng Chao-hsin, Director Lin Ku-lung of the Digital Affairs Bureau, Director Chen Hung-i of the Environmental Protection Bureau, Chairperson Liu Yen-li of the Taichung City Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, and Director Wu Tsun-chin of the Land Administration Bureau. In addition, dignitaries from other cities and counties, including Director Wang Chiu-tung of the Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government, Director Chiu Shao-wei of the Department of Planning, Nantou City Government, Legislator Liao Wei-hsiang, Taipei City Councilors Yang Chih-tou and Liu Tsai-wei, as well as Marc Elrich, Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland, USA also attended.