Minister of the Ministry of Digital Affairs (the MODA), Yennun Huang, attended the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) on August 21. Minister Huang stated that APrIGF is the most significant annual event in the Asia-Pacific region for internet public policy. It provides a communication and exchange platform for Internet technology research and industry development, which substantially promotes discussion, knowledge sharing, and policy coordination. Hosting this conference can extend Taiwan’s digital diplomacy and enhance its international visibility. In the future, Taiwan will continue to actively seek opportunities to host international conferences related to Internet technology governance to strengthen international connections, promote global cooperation, and create a more comprehensive and forward-looking digital governance environment.

The 2024 APrIGF was jointly organized by the Ministry of Digital Affairs, the Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC), and the Taiwan Internet Governance Forum (TWIGF). This year’s APrIGF marks the second time Taiwan has hosted the event since 2016, with the conference results to be reported and shared at the United Nations IGF. This year’s APrIGF theme is Evolving Ecosystems, Enduring Principles: Shaping Responsible Internet Governance. In addition to the main panel discussions, the forum includes pre-forum meetings and a Youth IGF Camp (yIGF).

Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao personally attended the APrIGF opening ceremony to deliver a speech, welcoming distinguished guests worldwide and sharing Taiwan’s digital development and internet governance model. Minister Huang emphasized that the digital economy is the primary driver of Taiwan’s future economic growth. Taiwan has a strategically advantageous position as an essential hub for Asia-Pacific internet connectivity. Under the principle of sustainable internet development, the MODA will integrate the four themes of this APrIGF 2024 - Security and Trust, Resilience, Interoperability, and Ethical Governance of Emerging Technologies - to continue promoting relevant policy measures, hoping to accelerate digital transformation across various industries through cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

In his speech, Minister Huang explained that the Internet is an important a platform for developing new technologies (e.g., AI) and plays a crucial role in the digital economy. Today’s internet users face fraud, disinformation, and cyber attacks. The MODA will continue constructing a sound, responsible internet governance framework, shaping a forward-looking, resilient, and secure user environment. Meanwhile, there must be a balance between innovation and social responsibility during technological development and application to protect citizens’ digital rights and privacy.

Vint Cerf and Jun Murai, known as the fathers of the Internet and the Father of the Internet in Japan, respectively, were invited as keynote speakers for this event. Vint Cerf, an internet technology pioneer and co-designer of the TCP/IP protocol and internet architecture, discusses the significance and importance of APrIGF in his speech. Jun Murai is a distinguished professor at Keio University in Japan. He delivered a keynote speech on Shaping Responsible Internet Governance, analyzing the challenges of Internet governance policy development and new trends in Internet technology development.

The MODA stated that APrIGF 2024 provides a platform for in-depth discussion and exchange for Asia-Pacific and global participants to explore future directions in internet governance. This year’s forum featured 37 sessions, bringing together nearly 1,000 internet experts from over 63 countries, including representatives from government agencies, research institutions, civil society organizations, and private enterprises, to discuss internet governance issues such as cybersecurity, AI and innovation, internet resilience, and content governance.

Additionally, prominent domestic and international NGOs such as the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Judicial Reform Foundation, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), the Internet Society (ISOC), Access Now, EngageMedia, as well as renowned international companies like Google, LINE, Meta, and Microsoft are also participating in the event. Each session will be available for online live streaming and internet services during the forum. Participation is available through the event’s website (https://aprigf.tw/).

APrIGF was jointly initiated by Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, Japan, and Hong Kong in 2010, with the first APrIGF forum held in Hong Kong. It has attracted hundreds of representatives from industry, government, academia, research institutions, and civil society organizations worldwide each year, making it an annual highlight of internet governance in the Asia-Pacific region.