Wan Pei, Lin/ Taichung
A delegation from the Taichung City Government’s Digital Affairs Bureau and Local Tax Bureau recently visited Germany to explore international developments in smart cities, digital governance, and cybersecurity. Led by Director-General Hui-Ming Huang of the Digital Affairs Bureau and Director-General Cheng-An Shen of the Local Tax Bureau, the delegation was accompanied by Professor Iuon-Chang Lin and Associate Professor Jason Lin of National Chung Hsing University (NCHU).
Through institutional visits, professional exchanges, and on-site observations, the delegation gained insights into Germany’s latest innovations in smart city development, artificial intelligence (AI), intelligent transportation, and cybersecurity. The visit aimed to draw on international expertise to support Taichung’s ongoing efforts to enhance digital public services and strengthen cybersecurity governance.
Director-General Hui-Ming Huang noted that the visit also built on the longstanding relationship between Taichung and Karlsruhe, Germany. Dr. Albert Kauflein, Deputy Mayor of Karlsruhe, has led their contingent to visit Taichung twice. This return visit deepened bilateral exchanges and helped officials better understand Karlsruhe’s achievements in urban governance, technological innovation, and academic research.
Director-General Cheng-An Shen highlighted the Local Tax Bureau’s achievements in developing National AI Smart Customer Service 2.0, which has received several domestic and international awards. The bureau is planning AI Smart Customer Service 3.0, which will implement large language models (LLMs) to deliver more responsive and user-friendly services. The new system is scheduled to launch in November this year. He added that the insights gained from Germany’s experience in digital governance and smart city development would provide valuable references for future innovation in public services and cybersecurity governance in the AI era.
The delegation also toured the FZI Research Center for Information Technology in Karlsruhe, where they learned about research achievements in autonomous driving, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), smart energy, and AI. The officials therefore had a chance to explore the potential applications of emerging technologies in transportation, urban management, and public services.
An additional stop included the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Our representatives exchanged views on sensor technologies in public spaces and the protection of personal privacy with KIT. The discussions focused on balancing the collection and application of environmental data with data anonymization and privacy protection.
At HFT Stuttgart (Stuttgart Technical University of Applied Sciences), the Taichung City Government officials explored developments in Urban Digital Twins, 3D city modeling, geographic information systems (GIS), and emerging cybersecurity technologies, including post-quantum cryptography. The visit provided valuable insights into the integration of smart city infrastructure and advanced cybersecurity measures.
In addition, the delegation attended IT-SA, one of Europe’s major professional exhibitions dedicated to information security, held at the Nuremberg Exhibition Center (NürnbergMesse). The delegation observed the latest developments in cybersecurity, automated AI defense, cloud security, and data encryption, while exchanging ideas with industry representatives on emerging security solutions.
To gain further insights into smart manufacturing, the delegation visited Siemens THE IMPULSE Experience Center in Amberg and its manufacturing facilities. They learned how digital twins, AI-powered visual recognition, and the integration of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) are applied to equipment simulation, production management, and quality inspection. These applications demonstrated how digital technologies can improve manufacturing efficiency, operational flexibility, and production quality.
The Digital Affairs Bureau emphasized that the visit covered a wide range of institutions, including research centres, universities, international exhibitions, and technology enterprises. The exchanges highlighted the importance of balancing technological innovation with data privacy and cybersecurity as cities advance their digital transformation.
Moving forward, Taichung will draw on these international experiences and leverage cross-departmental collaboration and academic expertise to evaluate practical applications of AI, data integration, and cybersecurity technologies across municipal services. The city will also continue strengthening international exchanges with partner cities, translating the knowledge gained into concrete policy initiatives and public services. Through these efforts, Taichung aims to build a smarter, safer, more convenient, and more resilient city.
