President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) attended the opening of the Taiwan Healthcare+ Expo on Thursday, highlighting the integration of the nation’s medical and technological sectors as a “strong partnership” that positions Taiwan for global expansion. He emphasized that Taiwan has developed a robust medical technology cluster and expressed hope that the industry will thrive locally while also reaching out to the global market, embodying the spirit of “Taiwan Can Help.”

This year’s Healthcare+ Expo, the largest medical technology procurement platform in the Asia-Pacific region, features 2,100 booths and attracts exhibitors from the United States, Canada, South Korea, Japan, and other countries.

As a former physician, Lai noted Taiwan's crucial role in the global health industry, leveraging its strengths in biotechnology, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and 5G technology to drive medical innovation. He also underscored his “Healthy Taiwan” policy and the government's focus on AI governance, data protection, and cybersecurity through the “New Ten Major AI Construction Projects” initiative.

During a World Medical Association (WMA) meeting in Taipei on Thursday, which aimed to revise the 2016 Taipei Declaration, Lai mentioned the upcoming national infectious disease biobank, which will enhance international biomedical cooperation. “The use of health databases and biobanks is vital to advancing biotechnology,” he stated. “In recent years, Taiwan has amended laws to support the biotech industry. Once the National Infectious Disease Biobank is completed next year, it will further promote collaboration and exchange between Taiwan and other countries worldwide.”