Taiwan and US hold first GCTF seminar in Germany; Berlin medical students praise Taiwan's digital governance

Central News Agency (Berlin, May 23) - Taiwan and the US co-hosted their first Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) seminar in Berlin, Germany, focusing on medical AI applications and global health resilience. Public health and medical professionals from Germany, Taiwan, and the US gathered at the event, where German medical students expressed deep admiration for Taiwan's use of AI and digital tools to enhance healthcare efficiency. The Representative Office in Germany and the US Embassy in Germany held the GCTF seminar on May 22 under the theme "New Frontiers in Global Health Cooperation: Resilience of Medical Systems," inviting government officials, experts, and industry representatives from Taiwan, the US, Germany, and the UK to discuss medical AI, medical supply chain security, and emergency response. This was the first time a GCTF event was held in Germany, attracting local officials, diplomats, think-tank scholars, and medical students. Representative to Germany Shieh Jhy-wey stated in his opening remarks that Taiwan controls over 90% of the world's advanced semiconductor and AI server production capacity and possesses high-tech companies like TSMC, making it an important partner for global AI and digital health. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang shared Taiwan's digital governance cases in a keynote speech, including the implementation of the real-name mask system via electronic health insurance cards during COVID-19, electronic fencing, and telemedicine, as well as the development of AI risk prediction, smart logistics, and international standard electronic medical records in the post-pandemic era. Germany is currently pushing for large-scale medical reforms, and reducing administrative costs and addressing labor shortages through digitalization are key challenges. Many local scholars and students attended the seminar to learn. Mike Traub, a doctoral student at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, told CNA that he attended the seminar to understand how other countries use AI and digital tools to improve their medical systems. Traub pointed out the "medical desert" phenomenon in rural Germany, where many people take over 30 minutes to reach the nearest clinic or hospital. His doctoral research explores economic incentives to attract more doctors to rural areas. Traub was impressed by Taiwan's use of AI and digital tools for real-time disease management and telemedicine. "Taiwan's example shows that when a country truly invests resources and determination, it can practically apply technology to improve people's quality of life and healthcare accessibility," he said. Alan Meltzer, Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Germany, said in his closing remarks that the core philosophy of GCTF is to work with trusted partners to address transnational challenges. He noted that Taiwan demonstrated rapid crisis management and transparent communication during the pandemic, proving itself a trusted democratic and technological partner. GCTF was co-founded by Taiwan and the US in 2015 as a platform for like-minded countries to share experiences and build capacity, and has expanded its overseas activities since 2021 to deepen cooperation with partner countries.