Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday opened Taiwan’s annual IT Month by praising the role of technology in the nation’s successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the opening ceremony, Su said that the exhibition — which is expected to draw 300 exhibitors and up to 650,000 visitors — would serve as a testament to Taiwan’s “unparalleled” public health efforts.

At a time when most people around the world are coping with lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19, Taiwan is one of the few nations that have not only contained the pandemic, but experienced economic growth, Su said.

“These achievements are a product of Taiwan’s disease prevention model, which is built on big data and the effective use of technology,” he said.

To support the tech sector, Taiwan is planning an additional NT$100 billion (US$3.48 billion) investment through its Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program and the creation of a Cabinet-level agency, the Department of Digital Development, Su added.

In separate remarks, Taipei Computer Association (台北市電腦公會) president Paul Peng (彭雙浪) said that despite the global disruptions caused by COVID-19, technological development has continued, particularly as countries establish their 5G networks.

IT Month runs until Sunday at the Taipei World Trade Center’s Exhibition Hall 1, before moving to Taichung (Friday next week to Dec. 14), Tainan (Dec. 17 to Dec. 21) and Kaohsiung (Dec. 25 to Dec. 28).