Administration for Digital Industries to serve as locomotive for industrial development

The Administration for Digital Industries (ADI) of the new Ministry of Digital Affairs (moda) was inaugurated in Taipei on Saturday (Aug. 27), the same day the ministry was officially established.

The agency is expected to serve as a locomotive driving the development of digital-related industries and assisting with business upgrades in the spirit of openness, co-creation, and inclusiveness, said Minister Audrey Tang (唐鳳) at the opening ceremony.

Also attending the event were deputy ministers Lee Huai-jen (李懷仁) and Chiueh Her-ming (闕河鳴), ADI Director-General Leu Jang-hwa (呂正華), and Institute for Information Industry Chairman Lee Chih-kung (李世光). Leu previously served as the head of the Industrial Development Bureau.

During his address, Leu said the administration plays a pivotal role in the ministry’s effort to build digital resilience for Taiwan. A key mission is to sharpen the competitive edge for the digital sector so as to equip the country with the capabilities to address emergencies like cybersecurity incidents.

Digital transformation is at the top of ADI’s agenda because “the strength of Taiwan’s industries lies in digital prowess.” This is what is needed for the country to stay a relevant international player, Leu believes.

Leu elaborated that “R.I.S.E.” are the four core areas of ADI’s services, standing for Resilience, Integration, Security, and Empowerment. Taiwan has already demonstrated its ability to incorporate technology to boost supply chain resilience through applications such as mask distribution maps. More innovations can be expected in this regard.

Meanwhile, the ministry will shoulder the responsibility of cross-ministry integration and resource coordination on digital services. Another focus would be to translate Taiwan’s information security experience into business opportunities, as cybersecurity has also become an integral part of national security, Leu suggested.

ADI is comprised of five divisions, responsible for policy planning, communications, platform economy, emerging and cross-domain, and digital service affairs, respectively. The agency will be staffed with 150 workers for the time being.