III Received eASIA Award from AFACT for Creating Digital Opportunity for 10 Countries in Asia Pacific Region
Date: 2013/12/04
III entrusted by Bureau of Foreign Trade of MOEA and Department of International Organization of MOFA to execute International ADOC Project for many years with outstanding records. In 2013, III submits ADOC Project for eASIA Award Competition, and emerged from final competition of November 28th at Ho-Chi-Minh City and granted with first prize award in bridging the Digital Divide category.
eASIA Award is held every 2 years, and this competition has been established by Taiwan during the time of role as Secretary for AFACT. The eASIA Award competition is predominately established for honoring the enhancement of digital trade and social economic development needs of ICT Solution. Four different competition categories includes enhancement of convenient and fast in trade process, enhancement of e-Business at public sector, enhancement of e-Business in private sector, and bridging the digital divide. After paper report assessment by judging committee, 13 projects in 4 major categories made to the final; among those, 3 countries and 4 projects in bridging the digital divide category has been chosen including 2 projects from host country Vietnam, while ADOC project from Taiwan and other project are listed as the 3rd at preliminary contest.
At final contest on November 28, Director General of International Division of III, Ms. Mei-Li Hsiao presented ADOC project catching from behind to win positive acknowledgement from the judging committee, and triumph in securing the First Award in “Bridging the Digital Divide” category. Furthermore, III recommended Taiwanese vendor Cyber Soft in “private sector e-Business” category also accomplished winning the “Best Practice of Secure Mobile Payment for Electronic Business First Award”.
The awarding ceremony was held at Rex Hotel Saigon of Ho-Chi-Minh City in the morning of November 29. The award was delivered by Chairman of AFACT, Dr. Nguyen Manh Quyen of Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade, and VP of IDEAS, Dr. I-Yuan Le was represented III to receive the Award. III expressed an analogy at the ceremony that ADOC project is not just giving out fishing pole, but also teaching people to catch fishes and cultivate habit of eating fishes; by making good use of digital opportunity culture and the use of digital capability could help weak minority groups to improve life, also creates overseas business opportunity for the Taiwan vendor, plus establishes diplomatic relations, and carries on international digital compassion; since 2009, ADOC Project has played the role of platform cooperated by public and private sectors, and invites ASUS, Acer, Chunghwa Telecom, Tzu Chi Foundation, World Vision Taiwan, and other ADOC private office organizations to participate the project.
In overlooking the future, ADOC Project will continue to play a role of platform joined by various resources, enable of knowledge and experience, digital capability promoter and propagator. ADOC Project not only continues to cooperate with all organizations in creating digital opportunity, but also hopes to localize ADOC Project. By doing so, it is to provide assistance for the existing 101 centers to establish self-reliance operation ability, and training to enhance its operation sustainability for helping more people in the world.
Photo: ADOC Project Program manager, Director General of International Division from III, Ms. Mei-Li Hsiao delivered a splendid presentation of ADOC Project to win 2013 eASIA Award in “Bridging Digital Divide” category.
Photo: Taiwan Delegate Team accepts eASIA Award in the group memory photo; left 2 is manager of Cyber Soft, Mr. Chih-Lin Hou, winner of First Prize of “Private Sector e-Business” category; in the center is VP of IDEAS, III, Dr. I-Yan Le; right 4 is Manager of Bureau of Standards, Metrology & Inspection of MOEA, Mr. I-Sheng Hung; right 3 is Director General of International Division of III, Ms. Mei-Li Hsiao.
Note 1: Brief Introduction of ADOC Project
At APEC Bangkok Summit Meeting in October of 2003, Taiwan purposed ADOC Project for objective of bridging the digital divide and creates digital opportunity, which gained support of member countries unanimously. Until October of 2013, ADOC Project has been executed nearly 9 years over 10 APECs member body including Philippine, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Russia. ADOC Project cooperates with governments, education institutes, business and trade associations, and nonprofit organizations to establish 101 APEC Digital Opportunity Centers. Since then, more than 54000 people has participated and trained in computer, network curriculums, around 2600 SME received benefit, and assisted more than 4000 school dropouts and homeless children.
To overcome language difficulty, ADOC provides 6 languages (English, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Russian) official materials. Colleague of participants have to work diligently to overcome communication problem separated across 16 different time zones. For example, one has to work at 11:00 PM in order to have a meeting with cooperate partner works in South America at 10:00AM. ADOC Project unites approximately 300 cooperative units in 10 member body to provide computer hardware, material, knowledge and experience; assist cooperative partners in operating Digital Opportunity Center in serving remote rural areas and weak minority groups (e.g. women, children, senior citizens, handicaps, blind, school dropouts, refuges, SME owners); and provides local residence ICT education.
Note 2: About AFACT
Asia Pacific Council for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (AFACT) is established in Asia 1990 as nonprofit and NGO organization in coordination with UN/CEFACT. The primary objective is to promote e-Business, trade facilitation, and standard inducing task. Member countries includes Republic of China, Pakistan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Australia, India, Malaysia, Iran, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, PRC, Mongolia, Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Vietnam for total of 19 countries.
For detail news information, please contact:
ADOC, Department of Secretariat, III:
Mr. Nai-Hao Cheng, Section Manager
Tel: (02) 6631-8512
Ms. Meredith Chang, Section Manager
Tel: (02) 6631-8638
Ms. Hsuan Yan, Manager
(02) 6631-8640
Ms. Ying-Yin Shen, Manager
(02) 6631-8643
Sales and Mass Media Section
Planning and Evaluation Division, III