You met my colleague, Mario Pinto.
He suggested that I reach out to you to talk more about what you do as Digital Minister. I’m not naive enough to think that I can make that big of a difference, but one of the things I would like to do as part of working in Taiwan is to help the international community understand what’s so special about Taiwan and to try to help attract professionals to the Taiwanese workforce.
I’m really trying to be, to some degree, a foreign ambassador for Taiwan. If there’s ways I can help, then I’d be happy to do that.
Right.
Yeah.
Right. What’s your portfolio, then?
I see, OK.
OK, I see. You’re in charge of then providing solutions to a variety of challenges.
I see. This is a new portfolio that was created by the administration?
I see. OK, good. You have a role in the science portfolio as well then. You tap into that?
I see, OK, all right, understood. Then, you report directly to the president or do you have…Are you a junior minister and you have…
OK, so you’re not actually an elected official, then.
I see, OK, all right.
I see.
OK, gotcha. You’re not elected in that sense.
OK. I didn’t…
Oh, OK. That’s quite different than Canada.
And it’s a tradition in Taiwan to have this kind of positions?
Sure.
What are some of the achievements that have come out of your portfolio?
Have you engaged Sinica in some of these activities?
OK. Then, are you also involved in this push to become more bilingual, if you will? That’s the focus of the government, I guess. Is that part of your strategy as well?
OK. A lot of this is driven by AI, then, OK. Have you engaged much with the Canadian AI community on some of these issues?
Oh, the Perimeter Institute?
Right, or having websites where the translation is actually understandable, right?
OK, good. That’s interesting. What’s the future, then? Do you think this will continue if the government changes?
Oh, OK. This was something that…
OK.
OK. That gives me a good feeling for…One of the big issues in trying to attract foreigners is the low salaries. Is there a strategy that the government is really working on to try to improve things? Are you a part of that?
Salaries, they’re so low here.
OK, fair enough.
OK, all right. You do have an active engagement of trying to recruit foreign talent?
Right, OK. This is really something underpinning the whole government.
Excellent. What is your training, then? Are you trained as a physicist or a computer scientist?
Oh, really? OK.
OK, so you’re self-trained, then?
Yeah, that’s true.
I see. How did you get into working with government, then?
Oh, so you were part of the…
I see. That’s how you got the connection.
OK, interesting. Well, that was helpful. Thank you very much for your time. Nice to meet you. I forgot to give you my card.
Right, OK. The connection to the UN is for…
OK, very good. Anyway, I just thought I’d introduce myself and learn more about you. Like I said, if there’s an option where I could help for something, don’t be shy about asking.
OK, very good. I won’t take anymore of your time.
I’m moving here.
I’m the director of one of the institutes.
Well, it is a permanent thing. I’m spending two years transitioning my research laboratory here, shutting down my operation in Edmonton. Then, I will be here until I retire.
