Taiwan and US co-host first GCTF seminar in Germany to enhance global health resilience

Central News Agency (Taipei, May 23) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced today that the Representative Office in Germany and the US Embassy in Germany co-hosted a Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) seminar in Berlin on the 22nd. The theme was "New Frontiers in Global Health Cooperation: Resilience of Medical Systems," aimed at enhancing the resilience of global medical systems. This is the first time a GCTF event has been held in Germany. MOFA issued a press release in the afternoon, stating that the seminar brought together nearly 100 senior government officials, experts, and industry representatives from Taiwan, the US, and Germany to discuss how to strengthen global medical system resilience through international cooperation in the face of emerging crises. MOFA explained that the seminar featured opening remarks by Representative to Germany Shieh Jhy-wey, followed by a keynote speech by Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang. Three panel discussions focused on "Medical AI and Technological Innovation," "Supply Chain Resilience and Diversification," and "Emergency Response and Medical System Resilience." In his remarks, Shieh stated that international cooperation is key to addressing transnational public health threats. Taiwan demonstrated digital governance and rapid response capabilities during the pandemic, and its medical system has been highly acclaimed, ranking first in the world in the Numbeo Health Care Index for eight consecutive years. He emphasized that Taiwan holds a key position in the semiconductor and AI industries and can provide important support and experience to the world. Shih Chung-liang spoke on "The Future of Global Healthcare: Building a Digital Health System Centered on Trust," sharing Taiwan's tech-driven epidemic prevention experience and noting that Taiwan continues to work with diplomatic allies to promote the construction of Hospital Information Systems (HIS) and actively contribute to the international community. Alan Meltzer, Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Germany, said in his closing remarks that GCTF is committed to connecting like-minded and trusted partners to address global challenges. He affirmed Taiwan's epidemic prevention performance and emphasized that deepening cooperation will help build a safer and more resilient future. MOFA explained that GCTF was co-founded by Taiwan and the US in 2015 as an important platform for experience exchange and capacity building, and has continued to expand its overseas activities in recent years to deepen multilateral exchanges.