Lai highlights Academia Sinica's successes at academician conference

Taipei, July 6 (CNA) Addressing the opening of Academia Sinica's Convocation of Academicians on Monday, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) praised the institution for its recent discoveries and pledged government support for its future projects.

Lai said Academia Sinica has been working closely with various government agencies and other research institutions to build a foundation for Taiwan's AI development.

Former Academia Sinica President James C. Liao (廖俊智), who stepped down in mid-June, led the institution in developing new technologies over the past decade, including a new generation of 20-bit superconducting quantum computers at a time when the government has pushed for AI development, Lai said.

In addition, Lai said, Academia Sinica has focused on highly efficient solar battery development, a breakthrough for Taiwan's development of a new generation of energy that will help pave the way to achieving the country's goal of attaining net-zero emissions by 2050.

The efforts made by Academia Sinica to develop new drugs and precision medicine are also expected to make a significant contribution to the government's ambitions to build a healthier Taiwan, Lai said.

Liao was succeeded by internationally renowned epidemiologist and former Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on June 18, and Lai in his speech assured Chen that the government would provide support and funding to help Chen achieve his goals.

Chen said Academia Sinica will continue to improve Taiwan's research environment to boost the country's competitiveness and also build a support system to attract talent from around the world to strengthen the country's research capabilities.

Academia Sinica is also studying the possibility of setting up a branch in Yilan County in eastern Taiwan, Chen said.

Currently, the institution has its main campus in Taipei's Nangang District and a branch in Tainan in southern Taiwan.

According to Academia Sinica, more than 200 academicians from around the world are expected to attend this week's meeting, which ends Thursday.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the institution will conduct closed-door group reviews to prepare for the election of new academicians and honorary academicians, which is scheduled for Thursday.

At present, Academia Sinica has 283 academicians, with 68 in mathematics and physical sciences, 61 in engineering sciences, 95 in life sciences and 59 in the humanities and social sciences.

Ninety-nine of them come from Taiwan and 184 are from overseas, including 15 from China, Hong Kong and Macau.