Cross-border economic competition: Taichung City matches online e-commerce with local industries

Keeping up with the digital wave, Taichung City set up a "Cross-Border Experience Demonstration Base" at the ASEAN Plaza, inviting well-known cross-border e-commerce companies such as Alibaba.com, Vietnamese e-commerce company Yuegou Digital, Hong Kong, China-based Yitong Global Cross-Border E-Commerce, and Taimao Global E-Commerce to hold matchmaking exchanges with Taichung's local industries, enabling local industries to move into international markets through online e-commerce. It is expected to begin external operations in the fourth quarter of this year, jointly competing across borders for economic growth.

The Taichung City Economic Development Bureau sought subsidies from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to promote the Taichung City Cross-Border Experience Demonstration Base plan, setting up the demonstration base at the ASEAN Plaza as a physical exchange platform between cross-border e-commerce companies and Taichung's local industries, matching well-known online e-commerce companies with local industries to expand the international markets of local industries.

A launch press conference was held yesterday (the 10th), chaired by Mayor Lu Shiow-yen. Alibaba.com General Manager Zhang Yuebo, Hechuan General Manager Lin Jinliang, Yitong Global Cross-Border E-Commerce General Manager Peng Kai, Taimao Global E-Commerce General Manager Luo Mingzhong, Yuegou Digital General Manager's Special Assistant Wu Wenzi, Industrial Technology Research Institute Industry Service Center Manager Zheng Jialong, Taichung City Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association Chairman Li Jianhong, City Government Secretary-General Huang Chongdian, Economic Development Bureau Director Gao Sixiang, and Central District Chief Lin Zhongxun all attended to witness the event.

Mayor Lu Shiow-yen explained that the base mainly serves three major functions. The first is service, providing services such as business consultation, advisory coaching, pre-market testing of products, and channel matchmaking for enterprises and entrepreneurial youth; the second is acting as a bridge, with activities such as entrepreneurship gatherings, entrepreneurship courses, and case-sharing events to be held in the future, inviting channel operators and business owners to exchange face to face; the third is sharing, creating co-working shared workspaces, livestreaming spaces, and office and meeting venues to attract Taichung enterprises or entrepreneurial youth to move in.