In the face of dramatic changes in the global business environment, Taiwan has some enterprises which, while not widely known, play critical roles internationally. These are our so-called “hidden champions.”
Our Cover Story this month focuses on Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, areas in which Taiwan has a competitive advantage. We report on enterprises in the fields of high-tech, manufacturing, fisheries, and food products. Taiwan has the world’s second-largest display device industry, one of the top five hand-tool industries, and fish net makers who sell into more than 80 countries worldwide, and is a major producer of the superfood chlorella. These achievements demonstrate the energy behind the “Made in Taiwan” brand.
“Lungshan Temple was my childhood playground. I’d often station myself at the side of its fish pools and watch the koi. It was enchanting.” Cheng Tsung-lung, artistic director of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, recalls his early days in Taipei’s Wanhua District. Many aspects of his life there have inspired his later creative work. With Cheng as our guide, let us explore Wanhua and Cloud Gate’s creative world.
Stop-motion animator Huang Yun-sian was brought up in her family’s traditional craft of making dough figurines. “Dough-figurine makers strive for customization and personalization, not the mass-production and precision of industry.” In her animations she not only displays her expertise, but assuages the sense of loss and regret she feels in her heart.
Taiwan nowadays has many mobile services, such as bookmobiles, a 3D movie truck, and bathing services for disabled people. They have become a heartwarming scene on our roads. Taiwan is also a well-known stopover for migratory birds in Asia, being located on one of the world’s top nine bird migration routes. This month we go with Hung Kuan-chieh, one of the few bird experts among Taiwan’s professional tour guides, to visit some of our island’s bird habitats.
The Nature Valley Environmental Trust in Hsinchu County is a 1.3-hectare tract of land placed into trust by its former owners. Kuo Hui-fang of the Environmental Trust Center tells us: “Even in this small area more than 40 Taiwan endemic species have been observed, and there are many protected species.” Our report takes a look at the current status of environmental trusts in Taiwan.
For this issue’s Readers’ Photos feature, “Dialogues with Historic Buildings,” we received exciting submissions from all over Taiwan, for which we are very grateful. Let’s add even more rich and diverse local content to this magazine, which has a worldwide readership, to enable overseas friends to better understand Taiwan through images.