On November 3, the College of Technology Management (CTM) at National Tsing Hua University hosted a keynote lecture and panel discussion titled "Building a Trusted Taiwan- US Supply Chain Partnership: Co-Manufacturing and Joint Innovation." Directed by the International Trade Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and co-organized by CTM and the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER), the event specially invited Stephen Ezell, Vice President of the world-renowned technology policy think tank—the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF)—to deliver a keynote address.

In his presentation, Ezell pointed out that amid global techno-economic competition and the control of critical resources, Taiwan–U.S. cooperation has reached a pivotal turning point. According to ITIF’s latest Hamilton Index, Taiwan ranks first globally in the concentration of advanced manufacturing, which is highly complementary to the United States' dominant strengths in software, IT services, and high-end R&D. Ezell emphasized that bilateral cooperation should extend beyond traditional upstream-downstream contract manufacturing to front-end joint innovation, intellectual property protection, and a strategic trust framework based on "Pax Silica."

During the panel discussion, Assistant Professor Ding-Yuan Chen stressed that establishing "solid trust" under geopolitical pressures is the key to successful industry-academia collaboration. Professor Loretta Fung pointed out that Taiwan should leverage "continuous innovation" to reduce reliance on single markets and critical raw materials. Dean Shin-yi Peng offered in-depth analysis on U.S. economic and trade policies, export controls, and strategic alignment. In response, Ezell candidly reviewed U.S. policy perspectives and proposed concrete directions, including signing an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation (ADTA) and establishing a cross-national productivity working group. Students actively participated during the Q&A session with engaging questions and vibrant exchanges.

We extend our sincere gratitude to all attending faculty members and students for their enthusiastic involvement, which sparked profound insights into Taiwan's strategic positioning in global supply chains!

Group photo of participating faculty, speakers, and students.

VIP Group Photo (from left): Yu-Shung Wang, Associate Executive Director of CIER Center for

International Economic Policy Studies; Professor Loretta Fung of CTM; Dean Shin-Yi Peng of CTM; Stephen Ezell,

Vice President of ITIF; and Assistant Professor Ding-Yuan Chen of CTM.