Dr. Mao, Minister Lin and Distinguished Guests from around the world:
I am very pleased to join you today via videoconference for the opening ceremony of the 50th IEEE GLOBECOM Conference. As president of the host country and honorary chairman of the IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference 2002 preparatory committee, I would like to extend on behalf of our government and people my whole-hearted welcome to the distinguished participants of this year's conference. Welcome to Taiwan!
Communications technology has seen continuous progress and breakthroughs. The rise of the Internet and the coming of the digital era have had a great impact on our work, daily lives, entertainment, education, medical treatment, financial management, and social interaction. The trend towards e-commerce, the concept of the mobile office, the use of electronic documents, and the gradual replacement of traditional postal services by e-mail are among the prominent examples.
It is meaningful to have so many of the world's experts and scholars gather here to discuss the development of communications technology. Your work and ideas will help make digital information technology available anytime, anywhere, in any format, and tailored to individual needs.
Our government is now working on a six-year national development plan, known as "Challenge Year 2008". Among the programs, the e-Taiwan Project will integrate information, network, and communications technology to meet the challenges of our new digital world. It will also help us build Taiwan into a "green silicon island," with a knowledge-based economy focused on high tech services. We are creating the broadband network infrastructure to achieve a goal of 6 million broadband subscribers in 6 years. We are also making every effort to establish e-commerce services and make Taiwan more competitive. Electronic government and more efficient administration are also top priorities, as is the construction of an intelligent transportation system. Through these efforts, we are confident that we can keep pace with global trends and bring Taiwan fully into the digital age, so as to play an important role in the international community.
Taiwan's technology industry has already achieved world-class success. Taiwan is the world's 14th largest exporter, and electronic, information and communications products account for a significant percentage of overall exports. We rank as the world's 4th largest supplier of information products. Our IC foundry production is the biggest in the industry, accounting for 73% of the world’s total. Our IC package industry is also the world's largest. Taiwan's IC design business dominates 26% of the world market and ranks second overall. We also take second place globally for production of TFT-LCDs, with a 34.3% share of the market. As for communications technology, the penetration rate of mobile phones is already over 100%. Internet penetration has risen to 36%. Over 20% of Internet users have broadband connections, which gives Taiwan the second highest broadband penetration rate in the world. With such a thriving high tech sector, it's no wonder that Taiwan is known as "Silicon Valley East."
The IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference is the flagship annual conference of IEEE Communications Society and has a long and prestigious history. Professionals and scholars from all over the world meet to share achievements and exchange viewpoints. This year, the IEEE ComSoc celebrates its 50th anniversary, and we are deeply honored to be able to welcome such a distinguished group here in Taiwan. I would like to thank the IEEE Communications Society and the members of the preparatory committee for the opportunity to host this semi-centennial conference. I would also like to thank all of you for attending this year's conference. I am particularly thankful for all distinguished guests from afar to converge in Taipei and jointly witness the realization of a global village.
Although you have come to Taiwan for lectures and discussions, I highly recommend that you take advantage of this opportunity to explore this wonderful island. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and the hospitality of the Taiwanese people. Try a few dishes of our delicious local cuisine. You will find that Taiwan has much more to offer than high tech products, and gain unforgettable "Taiwan experience."
In closing, I would like to thank you again for your participation. You have my best wishes for the great success of the conference and the good health and happiness of all in attendance. Thank you.