The Institute for Biotechnology and Medical Industry’s (IBMI) 2025 Annual Conference—titled “Inheritance”—was held on May 9 at the Grand Mayfull Hotel in Taipei. Over 400 leaders from industry, government, academia, and research gathered to discuss how Taiwan’s health and biotech sector can adapt to global shifts and enhance its competitiveness. Distinguished attendees included President Lai Ching-te; Minister of Economic Affairs Guo Chih-hui; Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan; and RBMP Chairman Wang Jin-ping.
“Leveraging AI and Biomedicine to Forge New Momentum”
IBMI Chairman Wong Chi-Huey opened by reflecting on the association’s 23-year history of driving Taiwan’s biotech, medical, and health industries forward. He highlighted IBMI’s current emphasis on integrating ICT with healthcare, deploying AI to boost Taiwan’s global impact in biomedical innovation, and positioning the health industry as a core economic pillar. In light of the U.S. tariff measures, Chairman Wong outlined five strategic responses championed by President Lai:
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Initiating zero-tariff negotiations
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Expanding U.S. procurement and investment
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Addressing trade barriers
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Accelerating industrial upgrades
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Deepening bilateral collaboration
These measures have already received positive feedback from U.S. counterparts and could catalyze Taiwan’s next industrial leap.
President Lai Ching-te: Building a ‘Sacred Mountain’ of Biomedicine
President Lai praised IBMI as a vital bridge between government and industry, uniting medical, technological, and biotech expertise to advance national health policies. He noted that under both former President Tsai Ing-wen’s precision health initiatives and the current “Healthy Taiwan” vision, IBMI has been instrumental. Taiwan’s comprehensive National Health Insurance database and world-class medical and tech capabilities, he said, provide a solid foundation. In this AI-driven era, regulatory reforms—such as relaxing fundraising limits, completing biotech park clusters, and bolstering talent development and clinical trials—will accelerate Taiwan’s biomedical internationalization, creating another “sacred mountain” of national strength. The government commits to ongoing collaboration with the medical and industrial sectors, relying on IBMI as its premier think tank to drive further gains in public health and economic growth.
Minister Chiu Tai-yuan:Smart Healthcare Meets Long-Term Care
Minister Chiu outlined six core policy pillars under the “Healthy Taiwan” strategy:
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Enhancing medical quality
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Improving healthcare workers’ welfare and environments
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Ensuring the sustainability of National Health Insurance
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Integrating smart healthcare for seamless care coordination
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Combining geriatric medicine with Long-Term Care 3.0
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Launching the “Healthy Taiwan Deep Cultivation Plan”
He emphasized that, beyond safeguarding public health, these initiatives will fuel growth across the health sector. By deeply integrating bio-technology with ICT—embedding smart systems in clinical settings and pioneering innovative field trials—Taiwan can cultivate a health industry chain worth over a trillion dollars.
Minister Guo Chih-hui: “Building Taiwan’s Biotech Dream Team”
In his keynote, Minister of Economic Affairs Guo Chih-hui addressed the challenges and opportunities presented by the U.S.’s new tariffs. He argued that, rather than merely a barrier, these measures open new doors for Taiwan to meet the healthcare needs of eight billion people worldwide. He called on industry leaders to assemble a truly global “biotech dream team” capable of competing on the world stage.
Industry Report & Awards
Vice Chairman Yang Pan-chyr of IBMI then presented the “2024 Healthcare and Medical Industry Annual Report,” demonstrating Taiwan’s strong showing across four pillars: international presence, R&D capacity, operational momentum, and investment outlook. The session concluded with the presentation of the “2024 Benchmark Enterprise Awards” by Vice Chairman Tsai Chang-hai. Bora received the “Major Investment Benchmark” award for three overseas acquisitions totaling US $267 million in 2024. The “International Licensing” and “R&D Breakthrough” awards were withheld, underscoring the need for Taiwanese firms to deepen their global engagement and seize emerging opportunities in a fiercely competitive landscape.
