President Lai Proposes NT$100B Plan for SMEs; MOEA Head Says Legal Framework is Being Considered
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te announced on May 20th a plan worth NT$100 billion to accelerate the upgrade and transformation of small, medium, micro, and traditional enterprises. Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin stated this is a positive policy direction to spread the fruits of economic growth from the high-tech sector to all industries. He added that the Ministry of Economic Affairs will devise specific measures, while the Executive Yuan is considering institutionalizing the plan through legislation.
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- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 13:30
- 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 14:01 (31 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 14:14 (12 min after Collected)
(CNA, Taipei, May 20, by reporters Tseng Yun-ting and Hsieh Yi-hsuan) President Lai Ching-te announced today that he will propose a plan scaled at NT$100 billion to accelerate the upgrading and transformation of small, medium, micro (SMM) and traditional industries. Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin stated that with Taiwan's high-tech industry developing well in recent years and tax revenues likely to increase, providing additional support for traditional industries and SMM enterprises to expand the benefits of economic growth to all sectors of society is, "I believe, a better policy direction."
Regarding the subsequent planning and budget allocation for the NT$100 billion plan, Kung said that following President Lai's declaration, the Ministry of Economic Affairs will further plan and implement related measures. Currently, besides continuously increasing budget support, the Executive Yuan is also drafting legislation to institutionalize the transformation and upgrading plan for SMM enterprises, assessing whether to enact a specific ordinance. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is assisting in studying the content.
In his inaugural address (erroneously referred to as 'second-anniversary speech' in the original text) at the Presidential Office this morning, President Lai Ching-te pointed out that he will propose a NT$100 billion plan to accelerate the transformation of SMM and traditional industries. The goal is to have the tech industry drive traditional industries, ensuring the fruits of economic growth are realized in all industries, family life, and care for laborers, farmers, fishermen, the elderly, and the disadvantaged. He emphasized that it would not create a crowding-out effect, as it is an 8-year, NT$100 billion "SMM and Traditional Industry Accelerated Revitalization Plan."
The Economics Committee of the Legislative Yuan was reviewing the operating budgets of subsidiary units for the central government's fiscal year 115 (2026) general budget today, including the budgets for Taipower and Taisugar, which are under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
In an interview, Kung said that the diversified revitalization of SMM enterprises has always been a key policy of the MOEA and the Executive Yuan. After Premier Cho Jung-tai took office, the budget scale for SMEs increased by over NT$10 billion for two consecutive years, and it is estimated to exceed NT$10 billion in the coming two years as well. President Lai's new announcement amounts to a "doubling of the doubling."
Regarding the subsequent planning and budget allocation for the NT$100 billion plan, Kung said that following President Lai's declaration, the Ministry of Economic Affairs will further plan and implement related measures. Currently, besides continuously increasing budget support, the Executive Yuan is also drafting legislation to institutionalize the transformation and upgrading plan for SMM enterprises, assessing whether to enact a specific ordinance. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is assisting in studying the content.
In his inaugural address (erroneously referred to as 'second-anniversary speech' in the original text) at the Presidential Office this morning, President Lai Ching-te pointed out that he will propose a NT$100 billion plan to accelerate the transformation of SMM and traditional industries. The goal is to have the tech industry drive traditional industries, ensuring the fruits of economic growth are realized in all industries, family life, and care for laborers, farmers, fishermen, the elderly, and the disadvantaged. He emphasized that it would not create a crowding-out effect, as it is an 8-year, NT$100 billion "SMM and Traditional Industry Accelerated Revitalization Plan."
The Economics Committee of the Legislative Yuan was reviewing the operating budgets of subsidiary units for the central government's fiscal year 115 (2026) general budget today, including the budgets for Taipower and Taisugar, which are under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
In an interview, Kung said that the diversified revitalization of SMM enterprises has always been a key policy of the MOEA and the Executive Yuan. After Premier Cho Jung-tai took office, the budget scale for SMEs increased by over NT$10 billion for two consecutive years, and it is estimated to exceed NT$10 billion in the coming two years as well. President Lai's new announcement amounts to a "doubling of the doubling."