The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) held an international forum this Tuesday regarding AI, local democratic development, international cooperation, and innovative urban governance.

Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), foreign minister and TFD vice chairperson, highlighted this year as the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election. He said 1996 marked a significant milestone in Taiwan’s formal establishment as a democratic development, and that reviewing its history, it’s clear the democratic foundation stems from “local autonomy.” Lin said mayoral and county magistrate elections from as early as 1950 laid the cornerstone of Taiwan’s democracy.

The foreign minister also highlighted the close connection between technological development and urban governance, detailing that with the lifting of martial law and the founding of TSMC, Taiwan’s political democratization and technological innovation both flourished in 1987.

Technology solved urban governance problems during his time as mayor in Taichung, Lin explained, but he also witnessed its role in enabling malicious uses of information overload.

Lin said, “Therefore, as we step into the AI era, we must collectively ask ourselves, will the paradigm shift brought about by Artificial Intelligence deliver greater innovation for urban governance or introduce new challenges?”

The TFD chair said he hopes to explore issues related to urban and global democratic governance networks through exchanges and dialogues between Taiwan and international partners as part of his advocated “comprehensive diplomacy.”