BTC Preparatory Meeting: Wu Cheng-wen Hopes Tech Advantages Will Drive Biotech Development

(Central News Agency, reporter Zhao Minya, Taipei, June 9) The Executive Yuan held the 2026 "Bio Taiwan Committee (BTC)" preparatory meeting today. Minister without Portfolio Wu Cheng-wen expressed hope that Taiwan's technological advantages can be transformed into momentum for the biotech industry, with the government continuing cross-ministry collaboration to connect technological capabilities with medical needs.

To continuously promote the development of Taiwan's biotech industry, the Executive Yuan held the 2026 preparatory meeting of the Bio Taiwan Committee (BTC) today. The meeting was chaired by Executive Yuan Minister without Portfolio Wu Cheng-wen, and brought together domestic and international BTC members and representatives from relevant ministries to exchange views on the phased achievements of various biotech policies, discuss the future development direction of Taiwan's biotech industry, and continuously refine the overall forward-looking布局.

In his opening remarks, Wu stated that the government's promotion of the biotech industry should start from the health and welfare needs of the people, make good use of Taiwan's advantages in semiconductors, AI, ICT, medical services, biotech R&D and manufacturing, deepen cross-domain integration, ensure technology applications are truly implemented, and support pharmaceutical R&D, smart healthcare, and health service development.

Wu pointed out that future efforts should simultaneously improve key links such as data governance, regulatory systems, verification services, and integration into medical settings. This will help domestic pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and smart healthcare products accumulate domestic track records, enhance trust in domestic products and independent technologies, and gradually promote mutual recognition of international certifications, allowing Taiwan's high-quality products and services to be seen by the international market.

Wu expressed the hope that industry, government, academia, research institutions, and the medical community will work together to transform Taiwan's technological advantages into momentum for the biotech industry. The government will continue to promote cross-ministry collaboration, facilitate the connection between technological capabilities and medical needs, and strive towards establishing independent standards and high-quality certification capabilities, driving Taiwan's biotech and pharmaceutical industry to gradually expand from domestic applications to the global market.

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) noted that this preparatory meeting invited domestic and international BTC members with expertise spanning new drug development, data science, AI, and smart healthcare. Representatives from 11 relevant ministries and agencies participated, including the NSTC, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Academia Sinica, Ministry of Digital Affairs, National Development Council, National Development Fund, Financial Supervisory Commission, and the Preparatory Office of the Personal Data Protection Commission.

The NSTC stated that the meeting involved exchanges and discussions on six major recommendations from the 2025 BTC members, including diverse applications of AI and semiconductor technology, health promotion and industrial innovation, integration and innovative application of health data, talent recruitment and cultivation, domestic product market entry and expansion, and encouragement of investment and capital injection.

The NSTC pointed out that through the joint efforts of various ministries, numerous achievements have been accumulated in fields such as biomedicine, precision health, and smart agriculture. These include the establishment of the National Smart Robotics Research Center with applications in medical care; the public-private partnership to establish the Taiwan Health Network Platform Company to promote innovative health data services; and the development of AI-driven drug discovery, home healthcare technology, and smart agriculture applications to promote new drug R&D, reduce care burdens, and drive agricultural upgrades.

Simultaneously, the promotion of FHIR data exchange standards and FHIR Box devices is facilitating medical data interoperability across Taiwan, reducing duplicate tests and medications, improving diagnostic accuracy, and saving National Health Insurance resources. Furthermore, through the Drug Trusted Review Mechanism and the Taiwan Preclinical Trial Alliance, the implementation, translation, and international linkage of innovative achievements are being strengthened, continuously enhancing the overall competitiveness of Taiwan's biotech industry.

The NSTC stated that the 2026 Executive Yuan Bio Taiwan Committee meeting will be held at the end of August, with the main theme being "Pharmaceuticals, Health, Agriculture," focusing on how smart technology connects these three fields. The meeting will seek consensus on topics such as cross-domain technology application, regulatory governance, industrial resilience, and international布局 from the three perspectives of technology application, regulatory systems, and industrial sustainability, aiming to complete the overall development blueprint for Taiwan's biotech industry. (Editor: Chang Liang-chih) 1150609