MELBOURNE – Director-General Ming-ze Lu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Melbourne was invited by the Australian Institute of International Affairs Victoria (AIIA Victoria) to participate as a panellist in the forum entitled “Australia’s Digital Power in the Indo-Pacific” on 24 June.
Director-General Lu joined Dr Bruce Tonkin, Chief Executive Officer of .au Domain Administration (auDA), for a panel discussion moderated by Mr Will Irving, Chief Strategy and Transactions Adviser at NBN Co. The discussion brought together representatives from Australia’s policy, academic and industry communities to exchange views on digital governance, critical technologies, supply chain resilience and regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The forum focused on a range of issues, including artificial intelligence governance, trusted digital infrastructure, critical supply chains and regional cooperation. At a time when global supply chains are being reconfigured and countries are seeking trusted technology partnerships, Taiwan’s participation in this leading Australian policy dialogue highlighted the value of Taiwan’s expertise in semiconductors, digital governance and technological innovation.
During the discussion, Director-General Lu noted that Taiwan should not be viewed merely as a subject of geopolitical discussion, but rather as an active and constructive contributor to regional cooperation. Taiwan has accumulated extensive experience in semiconductor manufacturing, technological innovation and digital governance, and continues to deepen cooperation with like-minded partners in a pragmatic manner.
Director-General Lu also highlighted the growing breadth and depth of Taiwan-Australia relations across science and technology, education, energy and trade. He noted that the Science and Technology Arrangement signed between Taiwan and Australia in 2024 has further strengthened bilateral cooperation in key areas, including ICT manufacturing, semiconductor technologies and supply chain resilience, biotechnology and net-zero transition.
Director-General Lu emphasised that successful digital transformation depends not only on technological capability, but also on public trust, institutional transparency and societal resilience. Taiwan’s experience in promoting digital innovation under a democratic governance framework represents an important asset that Taiwan is willing to share with like-minded partners, and constitutes a concrete contribution to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Participants also engaged in lively discussions on issues including AI governance, digital infrastructure security, international rule-making and regional cooperation.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Melbourne will continue to strengthen engagement with Australian think tanks, academia and industry to advance bilateral cooperation in critical technologies, trade, education and public policy, thereby contributing to peace, stability and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific.
