Taiwan is pushing biotech and medical technology as its next strategic industry, a positive sign for the country's economy and its plan to build more industries that protect it the way chipmaking does.

• Biotech investment of about NT$55 billion last year produced roughly NT$805 billion in revenue, a large payoff on the money put in.
• Premier Cho Jung-tai wants to speed up new rules and policies so the sector can grow further and compete globally.
• Taiwan-made drugs and medical devices are winning international approvals and entering global health markets.
• Next year's budget puts about NT$41 billion into a new AI infrastructure program and NT$229 billion into science and technology overall, up nearly 13%.
• With the population aging fast, the government is leaning on smart home care, wearables, and remote medicine to keep care affordable and reachable.

Outlook: Recommendations from this week's biotech strategy meeting are expected to feed into faster rule changes and more government money for AI-driven drug development and digital health.