Inaugural Taiwan Expo in Europe held in Berlin

Berlin, June 10 (CNA) The first-ever Taiwan Expo in Europe opened on Monday in Berlin, where more than 100 Taiwanese businesses and their European counterparts sought to cooperate primarily in the digital sector.

The three-day expo in the German capital targets digital and green transition opportunities in the European Union and is estimated to generate over US$50 million in business opportunities, according to the event's organizer, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).

The themes of the exhibition ranged from eco-mobility and smart health care to artificial intelligence (AI), TAITRA said on the event's official website.

TAITRA, a semi-governmental trade promotion organization, added that the Taiwan-EU Semiconductor Forum, a side event gathering key players from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s (TSMC) business partners, attracted around 200 participants.

At the forum, firms such as Merck, Infineon, MediaTek, and Realtek discussed issues ranging from semiconductor supply chain management, collaboration in automotive electronics, and technological innovation, according to TAITRA.

Cynthia Kiang (江文若), head of Taiwan's International Trade Administration, expressed optimism at the expo about Taiwan's future role in AI development, highlighting the country's strengths in the information and communications technology industry.

Realtek Vice President Huang Yee-wei (黃依瑋) told CNA that his company, which established a branch office in Munich, Germany last year to provide close assistance to clients, aimed to leverage the German automotive industry's leading advantages in safety specifications and manufacturing technology.

According to Taiwan's government, the EU is Taiwan's largest source of foreign investment, accounting for over a quarter of the country's total foreign direct investment.

Taiwan is the EU's 12th largest trading partner, while the EU stands as Taiwan's fourth largest partner globally, statistics showed.