Kaohsiung:Kaohsiung's two leading mayoral candidates have presented their strategies for advancing the city's artificial intelligence (AI) sector, focusing on initiatives such as creating an AI industry cluster, fostering industry-academia collaboration, and enhancing AI education access.
According to Focus Taiwan, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Lai Jui-lung believes Kaohsiung is well-suited to become a hub for the AI industry. He highlighted the city's available land, robust power supply, skilled workforce, and established industrial ecosystem as key advantages.
Lai specifically pointed to the Asia New Bay Area, which spans approximately 590 hectares, as a potential epicenter for AI development. Within this area, the 58-hectare site of the former 205th Arsenal military production could offer additional space for industrial expansion.
The discussion around AI development in Kaohsiung also comes amidst Taipei's debate over the future of Songshan Airport. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an recently suggested transforming the airport into an AI park, sparking renewed interest in the issue.
Lai emphasized Kaohsiung's electricity self-sufficiency, which stood at 134 percent in the first half of 2026, in contrast to Taipei's 2 percent. He argued that this energy availability, along with the city's current industrial supply chain, could significantly bolster AI industry growth.
