In this exclusive interview with《The Icons》, Steve Hsu, Director of the Arizona-Taiwan Trade and Investment Office and a driving force behind the Arizona Institute, deconstructs the most fundamental misalignment for Taiwanese companies going global and explains why “visibility” has shifted from an option to a basic prerequisite for market entry.

Visibility Resets to Zero: Factories Move Overseas, Trust Doesn’t

The success of Taiwanese companies in their local market has long been built on an extremely solid yet often overlooked foundation. It is not just about technological advantages or production capacity, but an entire trust structure accumulated over time. From years of steady media coverage and public records in capital markets, to credit histories with banking systems and tacit understandings and evaluations along industry supply chains, even including the leader’s personal social connections and public participation, these elements weave together into a moat with extremely high barriers. Within Taiwan, companies hardly need to prove who they are anymore.

“Most business owners think they got where they are by their own strength, but in fact, they have long been operating inside a trust bubble,” Hsu points out. This illusion comes from being in a market environment where cognitive construction is already complete. When everyone knows you, understands you, and even presumes you are trustworthy, companies naturally come to believe that branding and narrative don’t matter. Yet these “things that need no further explanation” are essentially the hidden assets accumulated over decades.

The problem is that these assets cannot be taken across borders. When a company enters the U.S. market, the original trust system does not automatically extend; almost all past accumulation becomes invalid at the same time. Lacking searchable and understandable content in the English language, having no place in mainstream industry narratives, and never appearing in decision-makers’ information sources, this state is not just “less known,” but a structural non-existence.

“You don’t become weaker; you go straight back to zero,” Hsu says bluntly. “In another market, if no one can clearly say who you are, it’s as if you never existed.”

Speak Local or Lose Talent: The High Cost of a Silent Brand

When a company is “invisible” in a new market, the first thing to suffer is often not revenue, but talent. This is especially evident in the U.S. market because high-end talent makes decisions based heavily on information transparency and self-judgment. Before formally contacting a company, they will first search and build an initial perception through media content, and this process often determines whether they will engage further.

“In the U.S., talent will always search for you before submitting a resume. If they can’t find you, they won’t apply,” Hsu observes directly. When search results come up blank, the company might as well not exist in the talent market. And when search results are scattered and unstructured, the market will quickly define you with the simplest, often most negative, labels. In such a situation, the company not only loses the chance to explain itself but also loses the gateway to attracting the right talent.

A deeper impact is the loss of narrative power. When a company cannot control how the outside world understands it, the market’s valuation of its value is formed passively, and that passivity ultimately shows up in business terms, from talent choices and customer trust to partnership conditions and price negotiations.

“When you have no narrative power, you have no pricing power,” he highlights the core of this relationship. “The market will only evaluate you by the lowest standard it can understand, not by your true value.”

Misaligned Voices: The Strategic Failure of Mismatched Messaging

When companies begin to realize their invisibility in international markets, the most intuitive reaction is usually to increase exposure. But without redesigning the message structure, such efforts often only amplify confusion without truly changing market perception. The key issue is not saying too little, but that from the very beginning, the communication has not been targeted to different audiences.

“It’s not about talking more, but about talking to the right people,” Hsu emphasizes. Cross-border markets are never a single audience, but a set of stakeholders whose logics are completely different from one another. Federal government, state government, corporate client decision-makers, technical teams, and potential employees, each group cares about different things and uses different criteria. If a company tries to persuade everyone with the same language, the result is often that no one is truly convinced.

Under such a structure, messages must be re-layered. For the market, you need to show macro vision and industry positioning. For the government, you convey cooperative intent and policy alignment. For local communities, you explain the specific value you bring. For high-level client decision-makers, you deliver insights and strategic understanding. For talent, you paint a vision and opportunity. For technical teams, you return to the most direct professional competence and standards.

“Each type of person judges you by a different logic,” he says. “If you speak to everyone the same way, you might as well not speak at all.” This is also why simply translating existing content into English does not constitute true internationalization. Language conversion is not the same as building recognition.

Media Matrix: Visibility is a Frequency, Not a Moment

Once the message structure is rebuilt, the next key is how to get those messages effectively received. On this point, a single medium or one-off exposure has very limited effect, because trust is never born from a single contact, but from repeated, cross-scenario accumulation.

“Trust in the U.S. market doesn’t come from one article; it comes from repeated appearances,” Hsu points out. What companies need is not just an English website or sporadic media coverage, but a media matrix that can operate continuously. This matrix must cover both local and international media, corporate owned media, and social platforms, consistently releasing layered messages at different times.

In such a system, media is no longer just an exposure tool but a node for building trust. When the same narrative is seen on different platforms, when different roles receive consistent signals in different contexts, the market begins to form a stable perception.

“You want different people, in different places, to see the same you,” he says. “This is not aimless publicity; it’s strategic encirclement.”

Beyond Convincing: Trust as a Long-term Verification

Even with message layering and a media matrix, trust will not emerge immediately. The reason is that in today’s information environment, any company can manufacture buzz quickly, but the market is equally capable of rapid discernment. A single point-in-time exposure rarely translates into long-term trust, and may even raise suspicion because it feels abrupt.

“Trust is built over time,” Hsu says. This is not just a matter of pacing, but of structure. When a company appears consistently across different media at different times, when its narrative is repeatedly validated and gradually expanded, the market begins to integrate these signals into a credible image.

In this process, third-party media play a particularly critical role. Because what is truly persuasive is not a company’s self-description, but the consistent and stable observation and presentation of it by the outside world.

“It’s not about who you say you are, but who the market, after some time, starts to believe you are,” he notes. Most Taiwanese companies, he points out, are not lacking stories or value, they are lacking a consciously designed and continuously advanced narrative trajectory:

“The problem has never been having no value, but not being seen.”

Beyond Relocation: Why Visibility is the True Measure of Globalization

When the discussion returns to the corporate decision-making level, the conclusion becomes exceptionally clear. Physical infrastructure can be built quickly with capital, but trust and influence cannot be replicated the same way. They require structural design, long-term commitment, and a deep understanding of how market perception works.

“This is not PR, nor marketing,” Hsu says, his tone restrained but more precise. “This is part of corporate strategy.” And precisely because of that, visibility is no longer an optional add-on, but a basic condition for entering international markets. Not being seen means not being understood; not being understood means not being chosen.

“What you need is not someone to help you issue a press release,” he concludes. “It’s a strategic partner who can help you build international narrative power.”

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TIRI Awards: Making Trust a Verifiable Language of Capital

The post Thinking of Going Global? Local Success Means Nothing! Without Visibility, You Don’t Even Qualify to Be Chosen first appeared on The Icons.

In this year’s fourth TIRI Awards, five companies received the Best Investor Relations Award. Among them, the “Listed Category” winners were Delta Electronics, Chenbro Micom, and Visual Photonics Epitaxy; the “TPEx Category” winners were AURAS Technology and JARLLYTEC. The judging criteria for the TIRI Awards are highly credible: companies must first rank in the top 35% of the TWSE Corporate Governance Evaluation, maintain good market liquidity over a specified period, and ultimately be selected through a vote by domestic and foreign institutional investors, fund managers, and financial media.

What set these winners apart in a volatile market was their ability to build stable, verifiable trust with investors through long‑term, transparent, and consistent information disclosure. Looking at the development paths of these five companies, each demonstrated the capability to integrate sustainability goals with core business operations in the face of dual challenges from ESG regulations and industrial upgrades. This turned information disclosure from a mere compliance exercise into a source of competitive advantage.

“This solid achievement comes from a challenging start,” said Jonny Zong-Lin Guo, Chairman of TIRI. “The National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) in the U.S. has been around for half a century, but in Taiwan, investor relations was long seen as a secondary function, lacking institutional and community support.”

As the official media partner, The Icons documented the industrial shifts on site and conducted in‑depth interviews with three representative winners: listed category winner Delta Electronics, and TPEx category winners AURAS Technology and JARLLYTEC. Cheng Hsiang‑I, Associate Manager of Investor Relations at Delta Electronics, explained how internal carbon pricing drives organizational decisions; Kelly Chen, Manager of the Chairman’s Office at AURAS Technology, revealed the market strategy behind liquid cooling technology; and Daniel Liao, IR and Deputy Spokesperson at JARLLYTEC, shared the communication logic behind a traditional component manufacturer’s transition to higher value‑added products.

Through the practices of these three companies, we see that when IR evolves from information disclosure to strategic communication, its essence is no longer just responding to the market but actively building a language that helps the capital market understand a company’s long‑term value. This capability is precisely the foundation that enables Taiwanese technology companies to continue advancing in global competition.

Cheng Hsiang‑I, Associate Manager of Investor Relations at Delta Electronics: Internalizing energy saving and carbon reduction as a core competitiveness that drives growth

Delta Electronics, winner of the “Best IR Enterprise” award in the listed mega‑cap category, stood out among rigorous quantitative indicators and foreign investor votes because it transformed sustainability governance from paper promises into concrete actions. While many companies still view ESG as a heavy compliance burden or feel anxious about upcoming evaluation changes, Delta has turned it into a growth engine, tightly linking carbon reduction targets with internal operations.

Delta has established a strict internal carbon pricing mechanism, charging each business unit a carbon fee of US$300 per metric ton for emissions generated during manufacturing. “Energy saving and carbon reduction is not just a cost; it is also a core competitiveness,” said Cheng Hsiang‑I. This internal fund, which does not affect external financial reports, becomes a powerful support for green power procurement and energy efficiency projects. Through this transparent and disciplined system, Delta demonstrates its governance commitment, embedding carbon reduction into the decision‑making DNA of every business unit head.

Looking at the global technology ecosystem, infrastructure energy consumption has become a bottleneck hindering rapid AI development. Delta focuses on improving energy conversion efficiency. Cheng noted that saving one kilowatt‑hour of electricity is often easier than generating one, and that is where component suppliers can make a difference. “We may not always be the most visible player at the forefront, but our presence allows every key link in the system to operate more accurately and stably.” Delta’s pragmatic technology deployment has earned it an irreplaceable position in global supply chains and forms a solid foundation for the capital market’s high regard.

Kelly Chen, Manager of the Chairman’s Office at AURAS Technology: Breaking through AI computing’s thermal bottlenecks with extreme liquid cooling technology

AURAS Technology, winner of the “Best IR Enterprise” award in the TPEx large‑cap category, earned high recognition from the capital market through its focused, decade‑long investment in cooling technology. While most of the market still relied on air cooling, AURAS resolutely invested in liquid cooling R&D. From laptops and servers to today’s hottest AI chips, AURAS has maintained a rhythm of entering new markets every three to five years, ultimately tackling the extreme thermal challenges brought by generational shifts in chips.

As computing chip power consumption grows exponentially, end customers’ technical demands become increasingly stringent. “Today you help a customer solve a 1.4 kW GPU; two years ago they asked you to research 3 kW, and now they ask you to study 7‑8 kW liquid‑cooled chips,” said Kelly Chen. Faced with such enormous R&D pressure, AURAS did not choose diversification. Instead, it concentrated resources to perfect its cooling solutions, even expanding into the manufacture of vapor chambers for semiconductor processes, all to get closer to the heat source and master the core cooling technology.

AURAS’s relentless pursuit of technical depth stems from its internal pragmatic engineering culture and strong execution capability that treats customer pain points as its own. The company adheres to the core management principle of “investigation of things”, requiring teams to explore the fundamental physics behind any technical bottleneck. Amid geopolitical volatility and headwinds, AURAS always insists on sincere, transparent information disclosure as the foundation for dialogue. Even when stock prices were dragged down by external factors, the company won the votes of domestic and foreign institutional investors through its high‑standard corporate governance and solid technology roadmap.

Daniel Liao, IR and Deputy Spokesperson at JARLLYTEC: Building market trust through transparent communication to drive high‑value transformation

JARLLYTEC, winner of the “Best IR Enterprise” award in the TPEx small‑to‑mid cap category, has actively moved into high‑value‑added areas such as foldable phone hinges and optical fiber connectors over the past two years, successfully driving record revenues. The company’s significant investment in building investor relations, combined with strong operations, earned it the favor of professional investors in the voting process.

Trust in the capital market cannot be built overnight. “Investor relations is a long‑term mindset; we want to compound trust like rolling a snowball,” Daniel Liao stated. Led by the finance team, JARLLYTEC proactively disclosed its transformation roadmap and ESG strategy to the market, completing group‑wide carbon inventories ahead of schedule, replacing high‑energy‑consumption equipment on a large scale, and beginning the process of joining the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). By turning regulatory pressure into transparent communication material, JARLLYTEC demonstrated its ambition to align with international standards and successfully secured long‑term confidence from institutional investors.

Facing the wave of global supply chain restructuring, JARLLYTEC’s concrete actions show high operational resilience. Externally, it expanded production capacity in Southeast Asia to mitigate geopolitical risks; internally, it invested heavily in fully automated equipment at its Taipei plant, effectively controlling manufacturing costs while redeploying freed‑up human resources to advanced R&D and design. Through close collaboration with international brand customers on product development schedules, JARLLYTEC has accumulated more than 500 patents, transforming pure capacity‑based OEM into technology with pricing power, setting a new benchmark for industrial upgrading among small and medium‑sized manufacturers.

Beyond Cost‑Driven Competition: How Taiwan Becomes the Hidden Pivot Driving Global Technology

From Delta Electronics’ fundamental restructuring of energy efficiency, to AURAS Technology’s breakthrough in extreme computing heat dissipation, to JARLLYTEC’s high‑value transformation driven by transparent communication – these three winners collectively outline a new competitive mindset for the industry. Taiwan’s technology manufacturing sector has long moved beyond the old era of winning orders through economies of scale and price wars. Instead, it intertwines ESG compliance, deep technical expertise, and the trust of professional investors to build resilient long‑term advantages.

Facing the urgent demands of global supply chain restructuring and net‑zero carbon emissions, the procurement and investment logic of multinational companies has been completely transformed. Low prices are no longer the key to success; instead, it is a company’s comprehensive ability to solve complex technical problems and withstand risks. Today’s leading Taiwanese companies are embedding themselves into the underlying architecture of high‑end computing and green energy through technology deployment and transparent governance standards. In the future international market, a dual strategy combining strong technical capabilities with capital communication skills will be the greatest principle for Taiwan’s technology cluster to defend its global voice.

From the early difficulties of promoting investor relations concepts in Taiwan to the successful establishment of a credible evaluation system and professional community, TIRI Chairman Jonny Zong‑Lin Guo has worked tirelessly over the past seven years to transform IR from a secondary administrative function into a core driver of corporate value growth. Watching more and more Taiwanese technology companies successfully break through in international capital markets through transparent communication and sustainable practices, he offered the most profound conclusion for this seven‑year transformation journey:

“Looking back on seven years of effort, TIRI has always been rooted in professionalism and built bridges of trust connecting companies, investors, and the capital market. Looking ahead, TIRI will continue to deepen IR talent development, promote corporate governance and ESG practices, and actively align with international standards, bringing Taiwan’s investor relations profession onto the global stage as a key force for the sustainable development of capital markets.”

As the interaction between industry and the capital market grows ever closer, the TIRI Awards are no longer just an annual recognition but are gradually becoming an important indicator for observing how Taiwanese companies build market trust. The next question worth watching is not just who wins, but which companies can continue to accumulate long‑term trust through transparency, discipline, and strategic communication in an increasingly complex global environment.

The fifth TIRI Awards in 2026 have already entered the planning phase, with the Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony scheduled for October 16 at the Regent Taipei. As the capital market continues to reshape its evaluation criteria, the companies that take the stage next year will not only be top performers but also key players that redefine “how corporate value is understood.”

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The post TIRI Awards: Making Trust a Verifiable Language of Capital first appeared on The Icons.

On December 1, 2025, the MEEM Go Global Conference was held at the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Shangri-La Hotel. The conference explored topics ranging from market selection and on-the-ground execution to long-term operational strategies, providing forward-looking reference points for enterprises at critical stages of their global expansion. The event brought together representatives from companies expanding overseas, industry experts, and service providers from across China for a two-day industry gathering focused on “practical execution, networking, and implementation.”

Unlike most forums centered on trend discussions, the first day of this year’s MEEM Go Global Conference was built around six regional market matchmaking sessions. These sessions allowed enterprises to directly engage with local experts from key markets such as the Russian-speaking region, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, gaining first-hand market intelligence and establishing in-person resource connections. This “matchmaking-first, discussion-second” approach distinguished MEEM from conventional conference formats from the outset, positioning it more as a functioning overseas expansion system in practice.

The interview team from The Icons focused on three key themes at the event: platform, cornerstone, and system. Through conversations with Toby, Founder of MEEM; Muyessara Tursun, China General Manager of ITE Group; and Gigi Ho, Co-Founder of BESAFE SMART LOGISTICS, the team traced a more practical path for overseas expansion.

Toby, Founder of MEEM: True Globalization Means Treating the World as a Second Home

“If you’re just selling goods on a trip, that’s not globalization.” With this statement, Toby, Founder of MEEM, clearly delineated the boundaries of the current overseas expansion boom.

From digital exhibition services at Coolgua, to global digital marketing strategies, and now the creation of the MEEM platform, his insights have always been grounded in data and on-the-ground practice. “We serve thousands of companies every year, and market shifts have long been reflected in the data.”

He describes MEEM as a “universal overseas expansion capability platform,” which first integrates foundational modules such as logistics, marketing, and legal services, then embeds itself into different industries like an “interface.”

“The future is definitely about vertical industry globalization. Sectors like new energy, healthcare, and construction all require tailored solutions.”

Regarding the relationship between new media and overseas expansion, he emphasized the importance of preparation. By conducting content tests on platforms like TikTok and Facebook, companies can validate market demand before committing significant assets, thereby reducing trial-and-error costs.

“Mature markets don’t resonate with an agency mindset; they value the brand itself.” In his view, 90% of companies may face setbacks on their first globalization attempt, but the key lies in having clear decision-making milestones. “The value of a platform is to help companies avoid unnecessary detours and access authentic information.”

On leadership reputation, he stated bluntly: “The essence of global collaboration is still trust between people. Leaders must learn to express themselves in a language their counterparts understand; otherwise, no matter how capable they are, they won’t be truly understood.”

Muyessara Tursun, China General Manager of ITE Group: Globalization Is Not About Outsourcing Answers, But Learning to Ask the Right Questions

“Many companies don’t lack capability; they lack clarity on what they truly want.” Muyessara Tursun remarked candidly during an interview, identifying a recurring issue she has observed throughout her more than two decades of experience in international exhibitions and overseas expansion.

With extensive experience in the global exhibition industry, she analyzes the successes and failures of companies going global from an “organizer’s perspective.” In her view, many companies still treat overseas expansion as a one-off initiative, seeking quick, standardized answers while overlooking the highly customized nature of market selection.

“You ask me which market is better, but no one can answer that for you. Only the company itself truly knows its own needs.” Muyessara pointed out that companies often fall into a “spoon-fed” approach to globalization, relying on external consultants for conclusions while lacking independent judgment. In an era of high information transparency, this model can actually amplify risks.

Discussing the proliferation of AI tools, Muyessara believes that AI is not a shortcut but a magnifying glass. “It can help companies save significant time on information gathering, but it cannot replace decision-making.” She emphasized the importance of cross-verification, advising companies to use multiple tools while maintaining human judgment as the primary driver.On global leadership, she summarized three key words: openness, humility, and humor. “You might be a leader in your industry domestically, but when entering international markets, you need to set aside your ego. Humor is a form of soft power; it quickly bridges distances and fosters communication and collaboration.”

Gigi Ho, Co-Founder of BESAFE SMART LOGISTICS: Logistics Is the First Cornerstone for Overseas Expansion

“Logistics is never just about delivering goods to a destination; it determines whether a company can truly establish itself there.” When discussing overseas expansion strategies, Gigi Ho repeatedly referred to the concept of a “cornerstone.”

She believes that global supply chains are undergoing structural changes. In the past, logistics was seen as a cost item; today, it has become an integral part of a company’s overseas operational capability.

“Participating in exhibitions is no longer just about a few days of showcasing; it’s about year-round market engagement.” Based on this context, she introduced the “Meet More” concept, extending traditional exhibit logistics to include overseas warehouses, local distribution, and experiential scenarios. Instead of shipping samples back at high cost, they are transformed into long-term display assets in overseas markets.

Regarding the difference between “effective” and “ineffective” overseas expansion, she offered three practical suggestions: first, choose trustworthy local partners; second, prioritize compliance—laws and regulations are prerequisites for operating overseas; third, build a genuine local team rather than managing remotely from afar.

“Many companies fail not because their products are bad, but because they apply Chinese logic to overseas markets.” She pointed out that differences in areas like venue time management and operational standards across countries are significant; a lack of respect and understanding often results in costly “lessons.”

On leadership, she believes entrepreneurs should serve as a “lighthouse” for their teams. In an era of rapid AI development, learning ability is just a basic threshold; what truly sustains long-term decision-making is a clear set of values. “The responsibility carried by a corporate brand is greater and more enduring than any personal IP.”

An Overseas Expansion System Starting with “Matchmaking”: MEEM’s Practice-Oriented Design

As a key annual event in the overseas expansion sector, the 2025 MEEM Go Global Conference saw a concurrent increase in scale and influence. Over the two-day agenda, more than 50 representatives from government agencies, industry associations, international exhibition groups, overseas local service providers, and frontline overseas enterprises participated in discussions, attracting over 400 corporate decision-makers and market leaders to engage on-site.

From the insights shared by the three founders, it is evident that Chinese enterprises are entering a new phase of global expansion—no longer just selling products across borders, but truly integrating into the institutional frameworks, cultural environments, and long-term developmental rhythms of other markets.

As overseas expansion enters “deeper waters,” the criteria for market evaluation are shifting from first-mover advantage to structural resilience. Whether a company can establish a sustainable presence in different countries, operate stably in uncertain environments, and continue to grow beyond individual leadership narratives has become the new dividing line.

Price, speed, or advantages from a single channel are no longer decisive factors. What truly matters is whether a company has built structural capabilities that can function across different markets.

From “Going Global” to “Being Embraced by the World”

At this turning point, the role of MEEM is becoming increasingly clear. It does not rush to provide standardized answers but instead builds a reusable scenario for overseas expansion, one where companies can access authentic information before entering a market, understand structural risks before committing resources, and complete their cognitive upgrade about the world before making decisions.

From the genuine dialogue facilitated by the exhibition platform, to the execution capabilities supported by logistics infrastructure, to the systematic services that deconstruct long-term operational logic, MEEM connects not a single solution but a comprehensive, sustainable pathway.

This pathway does not promise shortcuts, but it offers direction; it does not create illusions, but it reduces the cost of trial and error.

The endpoint of globalization is never at the other end of the map. It lies in knowing who you are—and how to continue moving forward—when standing on unfamiliar ground.

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The post 2025 MEEM Go Global Conference.Shanghai: As Chinese Enterprises Enter Deeper Waters, Structural Competition Is Reshaping the Landscape first appeared on The Icons.

In November 2025, GTC2025 Shanghai, hosted by BelugaGlobal , was held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. As one of the largest and most influential industry events in China’s cross-border expansion ecosystem, this year’s conference focused on key sectors such as games, apps, DTC brands, AI, and technology services. Bringing together global developers, brands, service providers, and capital institutions, the event combined exhibitions and forums to serve as an important platform for showcasing China’s global expansion ecosystem.

During the conference, the interview team of The Icons held in-depth discussions with four frontline practitioners from the fields of international logistics, overseas market research, AI agents, and industry data research. Although they operate in different sectors, their insights point to the same emerging structural transformation: the shift from “product globalization” to “capability globalization” and “trust globalization.”

The Path to Globalization Often Begins with the Founder

“The success of a company is ultimately deeply tied to its founder,” said Bandari Wei, founder and CEO of BelugaGlobal, summarizing his long-term observations of Chinese companies expanding overseas. He pointed out that many companies have already matured in terms of technology, products, and organizational capabilities, yet still struggle to truly open overseas markets. The key issue often lies not in capability, but in whether the founder has upgraded their understanding of the global market and redefined the company’s positioning.

“A company is like a mirror reflecting the founder’s perspective and cognitive structure,” Wei said. “How a founder understands the world determines how the company enters the world.” At GTC2025 Shanghai, this observation was reflected in the real-world practices shared by several speakers.

Guoshan Li Shanghai Xiaoze Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.Founder & CEO: When Logistics Is No Longer Just Transportation, but a System That Can Be Trusted

Having worked for many years in international freight and supply chain management, Guoshan Li Shanghai Xiaoze Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.Founder & CEO, has observed not merely fluctuations in a single market, but a fundamental repositioning of the industry’s role.

“In the past, logistics solved a single link in the chain. Now clients need a fully deliverable route,” he said. Services limited to port-to-port shipping, first-leg transportation, or last-mile delivery are no longer sufficient to support the deep overseas expansion of Chinese enterprises. Instead, the industry is shifting toward end-to-end, door-to-door supply chain services.

These services cover the entire process, from domestic pickup, customs declaration, and ocean freight to destination port clearance, overseas warehousing, and last-mile delivery, while also extending to financial settlement and exception management.

This transformation requires logistics companies to develop stronger international organizational capabilities and risk management capacity.

“This is no longer a labor-intensive service industry; it is a competition of system capabilities,” Li explained.

In traditional logistics, where operations rely heavily on the experience of veteran workers, new employees often require three to five years of training before they can operate independently. Even experienced staff face clear limits in time and energy.

Li’s solution is to train expert knowledge into AI-powered specialist agents. Rather than building a simple customer service tool for a single company, the goal is to replicate expertise across specific roles throughout the entire industry.

“The real competitive advantage does not lie in how many people you have today, but in whether you can transform expert judgment into a system capability that can be called upon 24 hours a day,” he said.

Brother Zhong Founder of Overseas Research Institute: When Going Global Becomes Mandatory, Trust Is Repriced

If logistics represents the upgrade of industrial infrastructure,Brother Zhong, Founder of Overseas Research Institute, focuses on the real ecosystem of frontline entrepreneurs.

Having long operated overseas-focused communities and participated as a judge for the “Whale Sound Awards,” he has observed a growing divide among companies.

“Going global is no longer optional; it has become mandatory,” he said. The real difference lies in whether companies can survive the uncertainty of the early stages.

In his view, the three most prominent trends in global expansion today are AI integration, localization, and the rise of soft power. Chinese companies are no longer relying solely on advantages in manufacturing and R&D; they are also beginning to build global influence through content, branding, and cultural output.

“In the U.S. market, people often recognize the person before they recognize the product,” he explained. He cited the example of a Chinese food truck manufacturer who consistently shared factory life and personal stories on TikTok. By building trust with overseas audiences, the company eventually achieved annual revenue exceeding US$15 million.

In Zhong’s view, such cases are far from accidental. “A founder’s personal brand is becoming one of the lowest-cost yet most valuable long-term trust assets for companies going global.” As advertising costs continue to rise, the trust accumulated through personal identity is becoming an increasingly difficult moat to replicate.

Abel Zhai LangCore (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd Founder & CEO: AI Agents Enable China to Export Service Capabilities at Scale for the First Time

Standing at the intersection of AI and agent technologies, Zhai Xingji, founder and CEO of LangCore, sees a moment of historic significance.

“This is the first time China has begun systematically exporting service capabilities to the world,” he said. From “Copy to China” to “Copy from China,” Chinese companies in the AI era are no longer just followers, they can face the global market from day one.

However, he emphasized that companies capable of long-term success must meet three conditions simultaneously: achieving product–market fit (PMF) in technology and products, implementing deep localization, and building strong organizational execution.

“The North American market values product strength, while the Japanese market values stability. Every market has its own commercial language,” he said. Globalization has never been about spreading effort evenly; it requires identifying an entry point and then expanding step by step.

In his view, the core value of AI agents lies in enabling capabilities to be repeatedly invoked and continuously accumulated.“Only when capabilities can be replicated can a company truly gain the possibility of surviving across cycles,” he said.

Jason Unique Research Head of Research: Why Long-Termism Has a Higher Probability of Success

As a research institution that tracks overseas expansion data over the long term, Unique Research Head of Research provides a rational reference point for the market.

From recent rankings and data, they have observed a clear signal: the logic of going global is shifting, from project-based arbitrage to capability-driven long-termism.

“Products that run the longest are often not those with the fastest growth, but those with the healthiest retention rates, regional distribution, and revenue structures,” said Huan Jiachen.

Using companies such as SeaArt AI, HelloTalk, and QuickCEP as examples, he noted that these businesses did not rely on a single breakout moment. Instead, they gradually built replicable capability models through long-term user retention and multi-market validation.“The value of conferences like this is not that they provide more information, but that they reduce the cost of trial and error,” he said. Industry gatherings such as GTC serve as important venues for entrepreneurs, service providers, and investors to recalibrate their understanding simultaneously.

Traffic Dividends Eventually Fade; Capabilities Become Long-Term Assets

Looking back at the perspectives shared by the interviewees, despite their different industries, they all point toward the same conclusion: as global competition accelerates, traffic is gradually becoming secondary, while capabilities and trust are emerging as the new global currency.

From logistics upgrading to door-to-door supply chains, to companies rethinking localization, compliance, and organizational capacity, and to the structural productivity changes brought by AI agents, frontline experiences across sectors reveal a shared consensus.

Chinese companies going global are moving from the stage of “running fast” to the stage of “going far.”

This is no longer simply a question of market opportunity. It is about whether a company’s internal capabilities can withstand long-term competitive pressure.

As short-term dividends fade, the companies that ultimately remain are rarely those best at chasing trends, but those that invested early in building organizational structures, product strength, and trust.

From the Going-Global Boom to a Long-Term Value Divide

Against this backdrop, the significance of the GTC Global Traffic Conference goes beyond that of an industry event. It has become a clear dividing line: some companies remain trapped in the logic of traffic and arbitrage, while others are already betting on long-term capabilities.

When products can be easily replaced and technologies quickly replicated, only capabilities that can operate across markets, withstand repeated validation, and grow stronger over time can truly form a company’s competitive moat.

For Chinese companies, this may be the central question of the next phase of globalization: not just “how to be seen by the world,” but whether they will still have reasons to be chosen after the spotlight fades.

When traffic eventually disappears, what remains is never just business. It is a complete system of values and organizational structures capable of withstanding the test of time.This year, Baijing Going Global will host the GTC2026 Shenzhen from April 23 to 24 in the second avenue of Shenzhen Futian Convention and Exhibition Center. One of the core topics will focus on how digital tools can reconstruct connections in an increasingly fragmented supply chain environment, ensuring efficient operations and smooth business execution.

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Q: ESG has become a central topic for companies worldwide. From your perspective, what has really changed in recent years?

What has changed most is the expectation. ESG is no longer something companies talk about at board level and then delegate to a small team. Today, it affects how people work, communicate, and make decisions across the organisation.

Many companies understand the importance of ESG, but the real challenge now is practical: how do you make sure teams actually understand what it means for their daily work? That’s where the conversation has shifted.

Q: The BCCT Better Business Awards are now in their ninth year. What role do they play in Taiwan’s business landscape?

The Better Business Awards have become a platform for recognising companies that are genuinely leading by example. Over the years, we’ve seen how powerful recognition can be in encouraging higher standards and sharing best practice.

But just as importantly, the Awards convene a community — business leaders, policymakers, educators, and sponsors — who care about long-term value, not just short-term performance. That convening role is something BCCT takes very seriously.

Q: Why was it important to go beyond awards and launch the ESG Talent Masterclass?

Awards show us what good looks like. But many companies then ask, “How do we get there ourselves?”

The ESG Talent Masterclass is a natural extension of the Awards. It takes real examples, lessons, and insights from award-winning companies and translates them into learning that people can actually use. The goal is simple: help organisations put ESG into everyday business practice.

Q: Sponsors play a prominent role in the Better Business Awards. What do you think motivates them to support the platform?

Our sponsors are not passive supporters. They are organisations that believe leadership comes with responsibility.

By sponsoring the Awards, they are making a statement — not only about what they value, but about the standards they want to see across the wider business community. In many cases, these sponsors are already operating at the front line of sustainability, governance, energy transition, education, or talent development. Their involvement reinforces credibility.

Q: You often say that ESG ultimately depends on people. What do companies tend to underestimate here?

People underestimate how much ESG is a communication challenge.

Policies and frameworks matter, but if teams cannot clearly talk about ESG, explain it to colleagues, or work with international partners on these topics, then progress stalls. ESG lives in meetings, emails, presentations, and daily decisions — not just reports.

Q: TutorABC is best known for language education. Why does it make sense for TutorABC to be involved in ESG talent development?

Because language is the working tool of global business.

TutorABC has always focused on helping professionals use language to achieve real business outcomes. ESG today requires teams to communicate clearly across borders, cultures, and functions. Whether it’s working with headquarters, global clients, or international partners, shared understanding is critical.

From that perspective, ESG talent development is a very natural extension of what we already do.

Q: How does language connect to ESG in practical terms?

If people cannot clearly explain ESG goals, discuss challenges, or align expectations, then ESG remains abstract.

Language enables clarity, confidence, and collaboration. It allows teams to move from intention to action. That’s why we see education — particularly practical, work-focused learning — as the final mile of ESG.

Q: The Awards bring together sponsors from energy, finance, law, education, and culture. Why is this ecosystem approach important?

Because sustainability is not solved by one sector alone.

Energy transition, governance, wellbeing, education, and communication are all interconnected. When sponsors from different industries come together on one platform, it creates a more complete picture of what responsible leadership looks like in practice.

That diversity is a real strength of the Better Business Awards.

Q: You lead both an international chamber and a global education company. How do these roles influence each other?

They reinforce the same belief: long-term success depends on people, systems, and standards.

At BCCT, we focus on promoting trade, investment, and international best practice. At TutorABC, we focus on developing people who can operate confidently in global environments. Both roles are ultimately about enabling others to succeed.

Q: Looking ahead, what do you hope the Better Business Awards and ESG Talent Masterclass will achieve?

I hope they continue to raise standards and build confidence.

If companies walk away thinking, “This feels achievable,” and sponsors feel proud to be associated with meaningful progress, then we’re doing the right thing. ESG shouldn’t feel intimidating. With the right partners, education, and leadership, it becomes part of how good businesses operate every day.

Conclusion

As ESG expectations rise, the challenge is moving from defining standards to delivering them in practice. The Better Business Awards recognise organisations setting the benchmark, while the ESG Talent Masterclass focuses on helping others reach it.

For the CEO of TutorABC, lasting impact depends less on policy than on people — their ability to understand standards, communicate clearly, and apply them in daily work.

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At the heart of the BBA are its sponsor partners — organisations that do more than support an event, and instead help define the standards of responsible business in Taiwan.

BCCT Chairman Sam Yang emphasised that sponsorship of the BBA reflects leadership through action. In an interview with global leadership media The Icons, he noted:

“Our sponsors are not passive supporters. They are organisations that are actively shaping how sustainability, governance, and social responsibility are implemented in real businesses.”

Vicki Wu, Executive Director of BCCT, added: “The Better Business Awards bring together companies that are committed to making responsible business practical and visible. Our sponsors play a critical role in supporting this platform and in demonstrating leadership that goes beyond words.”

Driving the Energy Transition

Companies sponsoring sustainability and green energy awards are those operating directly at the front line of transition. 

Organisations such as Cadeler, PKR Offshore, and Taylor Hopkinson support awards that reflect their daily work in offshore wind, green infrastructure, and renewable-energy talent development.

Their involvement signals that sustainability is not a side initiative, but core to how these businesses operate and grow.

Governance, Law, and Financial Stability

Responsible business also depends on strong systems and safeguards.

Sponsors such as HSBC, Eiger, and PCA Life Assurance support awards recognising leadership, legal frameworks, and innovation for wellbeing — reinforcing the role of finance, regulation, and people-centred policy in long-term sustainability.

Education, Talent, and Global Exchange

Sustainability ultimately depends on people.

The co-sponsorship of the UK Alumni ESG & Education Impact Award by British Council, The Icons, and TutorABC highlights the importance of education, communication, and skills development in turning ESG commitments into action.

Samuel Yang, who is also Co-Chairman and CEO of TutorABC, noted, “Education is the final mile. Without people who can understand, communicate, and implement ESG, sustainability remains a policy, not a practice.”

More Than Sponsorship

The Better Business Awards are not only about recognition, but about convening organisations that are willing to lead by example.

BCCT extends its thanks to all sponsors for their commitment and invites globally minded enterprises to engage with future Awards — as applicants, partners, or supporters — and play an active role in shaping the future of responsible business in Taiwan.

About the British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (BCCT)

For over 30 years, the British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (BCCT) has represented the interests of the British and international business community in Taiwan. BCCT promotes trade, investment, and commercial cooperation between the United Kingdom and Taiwan, and supports engagement across business, culture, and education through its programmes and network.

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In such a fiercely competitive industry, few entrepreneurs have managed to shape its direction over the long term. Michael Morhaime, co-founder and former Chief Executive of Blizzard Entertainment, stands as one of the most influential figures in that transformation. From the rise of PC gaming in the 1990s to the emergence of massively multiplayer online worlds, and now to a renewed focus on creative culture, his career has closely mirrored the evolution of the modern games industry.

Morhaime has repeatedly pointed to the design philosophy that defined Blizzard and left a lasting impression on the industry: “Gameplay always comes first.” Originating from Blizzard’s long-standing internal principle, Gameplay first, this idea captures his core belief about game development: before any market strategy or technological innovation, the player experience must remain at the centre of everything.

A Generation of PC Gaming Shaped Not by Markets, but by Engineers with a Vision

In 1991, Michael Morhaime, together with his UCLA classmates Allen Adham and Frank Pearce, founded a small game development company in California named Silicon & Synapse. The company would later become known as Blizzard Entertainment. In its earliest days, the team was modest in size, primarily undertaking porting work and outsourced development. Yet during this period, the founders began to define a clear ambition: to build worlds of their own.

The release of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994 marked the company’s first breakthrough, while Warcraft II in 1995 significantly expanded Blizzard’s presence in the emerging PC gaming market. At the time, the industry itself was still in a phase of rapid evolution, but Blizzard’s titles quickly gained traction among players. Reflecting on the company’s design philosophy, Morhaime once remarked, “We want to make the best games possible.”

This commitment to quality allowed Blizzard to cultivate an unusually loyal player base throughout the 1990s. With the success of StarCraft (1998) and the Diablo series, the company’s global influence grew rapidly. In particular, the popularity of StarCraft in South Korea helped lay the foundations for modern esports, marking a moment when gaming began to establish itself as a global cultural force.

When Games Became Worlds, Companies Began to Run Entire Economies

The release of World of Warcraft in 2004 would prove to be one of Blizzard’s most consequential contributions to the industry. As a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), it introduced a fundamentally different model: the persistent, continuously evolving virtual world.

At its peak, World of Warcraft attracted more than ten million subscribers worldwide. Unlike traditional single-player titles, the value of an MMO lies not in one-off sales, but in sustained engagement. Players inhabit the same world, interacting, collaborating and competing over extended periods, turning the game into a living, evolving social platform.

Discussing the success of MMO design, Morhaime has emphasised a principle that became central to Blizzard’s approach: “The most important thing is to listen to the players.” In a live service environment, player feedback directly shapes the direction of development. This ongoing dialogue between developers and community helped Blizzard establish enduring relationships with its audience.

Blizzard’s annual BlizzCon convention stands as a reflection of this culture. Since its inception in 2005, it has grown into one of the world’s most prominent gatherings of gaming communities. In his opening addresses, Morhaime would often remind attendees, “You are the heart of Blizzard,” underscoring the central role of players in shaping the company’s worlds.

As Gaming Entered the Capital Markets, Creative Culture Came Under New Strain

As Blizzard’s influence continued to expand, the company was gradually drawn into a broader corporate structure. In 2008, Activision merged with Vivendi Games to form Activision Blizzard, marking a defining moment for the industry’s integration into global capital markets. It was a transition that not only reflected the sector’s growing economic significance, but also introduced a new level of complexity in corporate governance and competitive pressure.

For a creative industry, such structural shifts inevitably bring tension. Game development requires time, iteration and a tolerance for uncertainty, while capital markets tend to favour speed, predictability and returns. The resulting friction between creative culture and financial discipline has since become a defining theme in discussions around the modern games industry.

In 2018, Michael Morhaime announced that he would step down as Chief Executive of Blizzard, bringing to a close a 27-year tenure. For many within the industry and its global community of players, his departure marked not simply a leadership change, but the end of a formative era in Blizzard’s history.

Beyond Blizzard, Morhaime Set Out to Build Not Just a Company, but a Creative Environment

In 2020, Morhaime, alongside several former Blizzard colleagues, founded a new company: Dreamhaven. Headquartered in Irvine, California, the company operates two internal studios, Moonshot Games and Secret Door.

Dreamhaven represents a deliberate departure from the conventional structure of large-scale game publishers. Rather than prioritising rapid output or market cycles, it seeks to cultivate an environment in which developers can sustain creative work over the long term. As Morhaime has put it, “We want to create an environment where developers can do their best work.”

At its core, this philosophy reflects a belief that game development is fundamentally collaborative, and that organisational culture plays a more decisive role than technology alone. In many respects, Dreamhaven can be seen as an extension of Blizzard’s early ethos, one in which creative work is not subordinate to commercial pressure, but placed at the centre of the enterprise.

The Next Phase of Competition Will Be Defined by Who Can Truly Build Worlds for Players

Today, the games industry stands at another inflection point. Advances in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and real-time social platforms are reshaping how players engage with digital worlds. Games are increasingly evolving from discrete entertainment products into persistent environments, while players themselves are no longer merely consumers, but active participants within living communities.

Viewed in this context, Michael Morhaime’s career traces a clear arc across the industry’s evolution from the rise of PC gaming, to the emergence of massively multiplayer worlds, and now towards a renewed emphasis on creative ecosystems. Across these phases, his central question has remained consistent: how to build structures in which creativity can endure over time.

In an industry often driven by short-term cycles and rapid technological shifts, Morhaime’s approach has remained distinctly long-term. As he has often reminded players at BlizzCon, “You are the heart of Blizzard.” It is a statement that captures his broader philosophy: that the true foundation of any game world lies not in technology or capital, but in the enduring relationship between creators and the communities they serve.

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This transformation implies that the core of technological development is no longer just about breakthroughs and speed, but also about the stability of the overall structure, the maturity of institutions, and the ability to continuously accumulate and validate capabilities over time. In such an international environment, the role of research institutions is also gradually shifting from technology executors to capability integrators and participants in the international order.

In 2025, the transition from the National Applied Research Laboratories to the National Institutes of Applied Research (NIAR) represents more than a name change. It signals a strategic repositioning of Taiwan’s national research system in response to the evolving global technology landscape. As the largest research organization under the National Science and Technology Council, NIAR not only undertakes the four main tasks of “establishing R&D platforms, supporting academic research, promoting frontier science and technology, and fostering high-tech talent” but also bears the responsibility of transforming diverse technological energy into a long-term operational framework.

From life sciences to semiconductor research, from computing infrastructure to intelligent robotics integration, the challenge NIAR faces transcends deepening expertise in a single domain. The real question is how to establish stable connections between multi-layered capabilities, allowing research activities with different tempos to advance coherently within a single governance framework. This integrative capability has become a key indicator of the maturity of a research system.

Throughout this transformation process, the core issue for Dr. Hung-Yin Tsai, President of NIAR, is not merely the short-term expansion of output, but more importantly, endowing the research system with long-term carrying capacity. He believes that the real key to competition is not just speed, but the completeness and stability of the structure.

“When research capabilities are embedded within a clear governance structure, technological breakthroughs can maintain their direction despite personnel changes or external fluctuations. When institutional operations are transparent and continuous, international cooperation can be built on a foundation of trust. For me, research is a public capability that requires time to mature. It is precisely with this mindset that NIAR’s transformation and future arrangements begin to demonstrate strategic significance that transcends individual projects.”

ACDRC: From Project-Based Cooperation to Long-Term Collaboration

Discussing the establishment of the Advanced Chip Design Research Center (ACDRC), Dr. Hung-Yin Tsai noted that Taiwan does not lack chip design capabilities. The problem lies in the existing models of international cooperation, which can no longer support deeper-level connections. In the past, international research collaboration was usually organized around individual projects. Teams from both sides cooperated on specific topics, achieved phased results, published papers or technical reports, and then returned to their original rhythms upon project completion. While effective for knowledge exchange, this model struggles to accumulate the mechanisms needed for cross-border industrial chain deployment and talent circulation.

“Once a collaboration lacks subsequent connection, even brilliant results fail to create a long-term impact. The emergence of ACDRC is precisely a response to this structural rupture where projects end upon completion.”

Commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by NIAR, ACDRC aims to establish a sustainable  platform for international cooperation rather than simply showcasing individual research outcomes. It integrates three facets—chip design R&D, talent cultivation, and industrial implementation—within a single  framework, allowing collaboration to extend beyond the laboratory level and develop into longer-term partnerships.

Within the project, Taiwanese research teams establish substantive cooperation nodes in the Czech Republic, while Czech high-level technical talents participate in long-term internships and training in Taiwan. Industry units from both sides connect simultaneously. Through this two-way flow design, research outcomes are not only generated at the academic level but can also be transformed into business applications and market opportunities. Therefore, the real value of ACDRC lies in its emphasis on continuity, not in the highlight figures of any single stage.

Dr. Tsai also pointed out a more critical aspect: ACDRC is testing a new model for international cooperation. When Taiwanese IC design startups can enter the European automotive and information security supply chains through this platform and form long-term R&D relationships with local academic and research institutions, the cooperation gradually reduces its dependence on government project cycles and shifts towards a cycle driven by market forces and technological deepening.

“This cycle builds trust between both parties through co-investment and shared responsibility, and also makes talent development a core asset of the cooperation, rather than an ancillary outcome. ACDRC thus becomes an institutionalized attempt, integrating research, industry, and cross-border deployment within a single framework.”

NIAR’s Eight Research Centers: Constructing Cross-Domain Research Synergy

Looking at NIAR’s overall R&D deployment, its eight national-level research centers span a wide range of technological fields.Their true value lies not only in the specialization itself but also in the way their capabilities are interconnected.

In environmental science, the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) enhances building safety and disaster resilience through structural validation and data analysis. Meanwhile, the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) supports a decision-making basis for geological surveys and marine resource analysis.

The capability linkages in the digital and industrial spheres are even more critical. In the ICT field, the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) advances  semiconductor process and design technologies, enhancing application reliability through experimental verification. The National Center for Instrumentation Research (NCIR) ensures precision measurement and equipment self-sufficiency, enabling advanced research to be verifiable and replicable. The National Center for High-performance Computing (NCHC) provides large-scale data processing and high-performance computing infrastructure, enabling semiconductor design simulation and large-scale model training. When computing power, design, and validation capabilities work synergistically within the same framework, technological advancement forms a complete process, rather than isolated breakthroughs.

In the biomedical field, the model systems and experimental conditions established by the National Center for Biomodels (NCB) provide a stable foundation for new drug development and precision medicine. These seemingly independent tasks collectively form a national-level network for environmental and infrastructure security capabilities, ensuring that research outcomes do not remain purely theoretical but can directly support public governance.

In the field of science and technology policy, the Science & Technology Policy Research and Information Center (STPI) provides technology trend analysis and policy evaluation, ensuring that technological development and the institutional environment connect and co-evolve. Additionally, the National Center for AI Robotics (NCAIR), scheduled to be established in April this year, will integrate key technologies such as AI, sensors, and control systems, promoting the deployment of cross-domain technologies into actual field testing and application optimization.

Dr. Hung-Yin Tsai points out that these capabilities together form a continuous chain from research and validation to design and real-world implementation. “The real key, besides the technical prowess of any single unit, lies in the stability of the collaborative rhythm between units. When capabilities complement rather than compete with each other, the research system gradually evolves from a collection of specializations into a platform capable of continuously delivering holistic solutions.” Under this framework, NIAR not only presents the unique value of each center but also integrates academic research resources with an overall strategic vision, playing a leading role for the “Taiwan Academic and Research Team,” and joining hands with domestic and international partners to create a new era of borderless science and technology.

Defining the Direction of Research in Times of Change

For any research system, the biggest challenges often arise when choosing a direction. When resources are limited, topics are diverse, and the pace of technological evolution is uneven, decision-makers must make judgments among different possibilities. Dr. Hung-Yin Tsai believes that one of the core tasks of research leadership is to set a clear time horizon for the organization.

“Some research projects can yield applied results within three years, while certain infrastructure developments require over a decade of investment before their value becomes apparent. Without a clear hierarchical plan based on timeframes, resources will be pulled by short-term pressures, making long-term deployments difficult to sustain. The rhythm of decision-making thus becomes a critical factor in the stability of research development.”

In practice, this approach is reflected in resource allocation and prioritization. For high-risk but potentially transformative advanced technologies, NIAR adopts a phased investment strategy, gradually scaling up after early-stage validation to avoid bearing excessive costs at once. For areas with a mature foundation, it strengthens system integration and cross-domain linkages, enabling existing achievements to be transformed into practical applications. “This dynamic adjustment method allows research directions to be corrected according to environmental changes without deviating from the overall development track. The decision-making process is a continuous calibration based on established principles.”

Furthermore, research decisions also involve balancing risk-taking and public accountability. When research involves the use of public resources and the deployment of international cooperation, transparent procedures and clear standards are particularly important. Through institutionalized evaluation and multi-party discussion mechanisms, major projects undergo multiple levels of scrutiny before initiation, making the decision-making process traceable. This governance approach does not pursue speed but emphasizes rationality and sustainability.

Dr. Tsai also stated that one of the core tasks of research leadership is to set a clear time horizon for the organization: “For me, the value of leadership lies in ensuring that every choice withstands the test of time, rather than frequently announcing new projects. Once a research direction is established, it should be advanced steadily, not constantly shifted due to external opinions or short-term trends.”

Hung-Yin Tsai: International Technology Cooperation Includes Computing Infrastructure and Cross-Domain Integration

Looking ahead to 2026 and 2027, Dr. Hung-Yin Tsai pointed out that NIAR will place greater emphasis  on AI computing infrastructure and cross-domain technology integration in its international collaborations. With the Cloud Computing Center at the National Center for High-performance Computing (NCHC) now in operation, Taiwan possesses the capability to support large-scale AI model training and high-intensity simulations. The strategic significance of this infrastructure lies in providing a practical, shared platform for international teams, enabling collaboration to transcend one-off research projects.

“When international partners can conduct model training, data analysis, and test validation within the same computing environment, the efficiency and depth of cooperation naturally increase. Computing power thus becomes a substantive foundation for cooperation, not an additional condition.”

Additionally, in advanced fields such as next-generation semiconductors and silicon photonics, NIAR also plans to deepen cross-regional research alliances. These technologies involve material innovation, process optimization, and system integration, requiring the combination of multiple areas of expertise to advance. Dr. Tsai particularly emphasized that through long-term connections with European research institutions, both sides can form a division of labor and collaboration model at the design validation and application development levels, allowing research achievements to enter industrial testing phases more quickly. This type of collaboration emphasizes complementarity rather than competition, with the goal of jointly enhancing technological maturity, rather than vying for unilateral dominance.

At the end of the interview, Dr. Tsai also mentioned that the establishment of the National Center for AI Robotics (NCAIR) marks a new phase in applied integration. By bringing together AI algorithms, sensing technologies, and control systems, research achievements can be repeatedly tested and optimized in real-world environments.

“In the next two years, NIAR will promote more field-oriented cooperation projects, directly connecting technologies with application scenarios like transportation, manufacturing, and energy. This cooperation model—supported by computing power, driven by cross-domain technology integration, and validated by real-world testing fields—will become an important feature of Taiwan’s participation in international technology cooperation. I hope that through these concrete deployments, NIAR can establish a stable presence in the global research network,  ensuring that Taiwan’s technological capabilities are not only visible globally, but also actively embedded in international innovation networks.”

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That phase is fading. A more difficult question has emerged. When the same AI tools are available to everyone, what actually separates the companies that succeed from those that do not?

This question framed the first session of The Icons Talk, a webinar hosted by the global leadership platform The Icons. The event was organized together with The 90 and brought together founders from very different industries.

One participant was Jan Hauser, CEO and co-founder of Applifting, a Prague-founded company that builds digital products for fintech firms and large enterprises.

The other was Kai-Tse Lin, co-founder and chief operating officer of Bellwether Industries, which is developing electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft designed for urban transportation.

The conversation was moderated by Ricky Wang, Director of Business Development at The Icons.

Despite operating in different sectors, both founders addressed the same underlying challenge. Once the novelty of AI fades, advantage comes from how companies adapt rather than from the technology itself.

Jan Hauser: AI Still Requires Human Responsibility

For software companies the rise of AI appeared early.

Jan recalled a meeting a few years ago when someone asked employees how many were already using AI tools in their daily work. The number of raised hands surprised the leadership team.

That moment showed that AI was no longer confined to a small group of engineers. It had already become part of everyday work across the company.

Applifting responded by developing internal principles for using AI in engineering. One metric the company tracks is called MEETER, which measures how long an AI system can perform a task before human intervention becomes necessary.

About eighteen months ago the answer was roughly ten minutes. By early 2026 it had grown to about ninety minutes, with success rates approaching eighty percent.

Even so, Jan argues that companies should not rush to deploy every new AI tool.

“A new tool appearing does not mean it is ready for production,” he said. “Companies need an environment where they can experiment quickly. But experimentation is not the same as deployment.”

Applifting introduced an internal AI maturity framework to guide engineers as they incorporate AI into their workflow. Yet one principle remains unchanged.

Engineers must understand the code produced by AI.

“If you do not understand the code, it should not enter the product,” Jan said. “Responsibility still belongs to the engineer.”

He also questioned the growing volume of AI-generated content online.

Large amounts of automated emails, articles and social media posts now circulate across the internet. Much of it, he suggested, adds little meaningful value.

“It is content that is not written by humans and often not truly read by humans either,” he said.

For founders the real challenge is therefore not simply adopting AI but building internal expertise.

“This field contains many people who claim to be experts,” Jan said. “Eventually companies need people inside their teams who are willing to study the technology deeply.”

Kai-Tse Lin: AI Expands Engineering Possibilities Without Replacing Judgment

Kai-Tse Lin’s company, Bellwether Industries, is developing urban air vehicles, commonly called air taxis. This is an industry where research and development cycles are measured in decades.

Every part must pass strict safety checks. Every design decision is tied to aviation rules and passenger safety. In this world, technological progress is never just about efficiency. It is about balancing risk, responsibility and long term reliability.

When Kai-Tse talks about AI, his tone is measured. “There are two levels to look at AI’s impact,” he said. “One is making daily operations more efficient. The other is changing how we develop products. For us, the second level matters more.”

In aerospace engineering, design and testing have always taken the most time. Traditional simulation systems are expensive and slow. A full simulation could take days and require dedicated teams. Now, AI can complete similar simulations in hours, with accuracy approaching 90 percent. For engineers, this changes the pace of development.

But Kai-Tse also warns that engineering does not stop inside a computer. “A design that works on a screen often runs into new problems in the real world,” he said. When a vehicle is actually built, material strength, airflow changes, vibration and temperature all affect how it performs. Designs that look perfect in a simulation often need repeated changes during physical testing.

“So in aerospace engineering, AI is more of a supporting tool than a decision making center. It can help engineers understand problems faster. But the final call still has to be made by humans.”

A point Kai-Tse made about self-driving cars helps explain this. Early autonomous systems worked best on highways, where the environment is simple. They struggled on city streets, where unexpected things happen all the time. But with newer AI models, the picture is shifting. In busy, fast changing urban environments, AI can often make decisions faster.

“The same technology can perform completely differently in different environments. There is a lot we are still slowly understanding.” This shows a basic truth: AI is not a tool for everything. Its abilities and limits have to be understood through long, real world testing.

For aviation, this kind of testing has to be especially careful. Kai-Tse takes care to explain a concept that often gets confused. Many people mix up automation with fully autonomous systems. But in aviation, they are two very different paths.

“Automation means the pilot is still on board. Some tasks are just handed to the system. True autonomous flight means there is no pilot,” he said. “In the aviation industry, we almost never talk about the second one. The liability issues are too complicated.”

So while software companies try new models fast, aerospace engineers have to think about another question at the same time: if the system makes the wrong decision, how does a human take over?”About 70 percent of aviation accidents are actually related to human error. So AI does have the chance to improve safety. But the prerequisite is that the technology is mature enough, regulators know how to oversee it, and the industry as a whole can figure out liability.”

In Kai-Tse’s view, this is not being conservative against new ideas. It is holding new ideas to a higher standard. The technologies that really change industries are never just faster. They find a new balance between speed, safety and responsibility.

Automation, Autonomy and Responsibility

Toward the end of the discussion moderator Ricky Wang raised a broader question.

If air taxis eventually become part of urban transportation, how will increasingly automated vehicles share the sky?

Kai-Tse suggested that human oversight will remain necessary for many years. Even highly automated systems may still rely on remote operators who supervise operations and intervene when necessary.

He pointed to an incident involving autonomous taxis operated by Waymo in San Francisco, when several vehicles stopped simultaneously during a system disruption. The episode illustrated how advanced systems can still encounter unexpected conditions in the real world.

“Fully unmanned transportation will arrive eventually,” Kai-Tse said. “But it will take time.”

Jan responded with a remark that captured the broader theme.

“In the past when you entered a taxi you expected to see a driver,” he said. “In the future you might see an engineer with a laptop.”

Technology may become increasingly sophisticated, but responsibility does not disappear.

In the end the discussion suggested that the real measure of technological maturity may not be technical capability alone.

Often the true test is whether society is ready to trust it.

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For years humanoid robotics has been associated with balance, motion and carefully choreographed demonstrations. Machines danced, flipped and ran with impressive precision, yet those displays rarely translated into large-scale economic applications. Increasingly, however, 2026 is being described inside the industry as the year when embodied intelligence began approaching a more meaningful threshold. The challenge is no longer whether robots can move beautifully, but whether they can function reliably inside factories, shops and everyday environments. If that transformation succeeds, the Spring Festival Gala appearance may eventually be remembered not merely as a performance but as the moment humanoid robotics stepped out of the laboratory and into public imagination.

Wang Xingxing and the Belief That Motion Comes First

Wang Xingxing, founder and chief executive of Unitree Robotics, has become one of the most closely watched engineers in China’s robotics sector. Born in Ningbo in 1990, his academic path initially appeared unremarkable. During secondary school he struggled with English examinations and reportedly passed the subject only a few times over three years, leading one teacher to tell his mother that the boy seemed slow. Yet outside the classroom Wang displayed remarkable mechanical intuition, building a wind-powered vehicle from scrap cardboard at the age of ten and constructing a miniature engine by the time he was fifteen.

In 2009 Wang entered Zhejiang Sci-Tech University to study mechatronics despite scoring only 28 points in the English portion of China’s national university entrance examination. During his first year he reportedly assembled a simple bipedal humanoid robot using only 200 yuan worth of components. Years later that early fascination with mechanical systems has evolved into one of China’s most influential robotics companies. In February 2026 Wang was appointed vice chair of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s technical committee responsible for humanoid robotics and embodied intelligence standards.

Speaking at the committee’s annual meeting, Wang explained that Unitree’s Spring Festival Gala performance demonstrated what the company calls its “Kung Fu mode”, combining robotics control algorithms with movements inspired by traditional Chinese martial arts. Behind the choreography lies a set of technical upgrades including dexterous robotic hands and expanded perception through 3D LiDAR sensors mounted on the robot’s head. One of Unitree’s most important breakthroughs has been full-body teleoperation, allowing human motion to be captured and transferred directly to robotic systems in real time, generating valuable training data for humanoid machines.

“I hope that when I attend events in the future, I won’t need to go in person,” Wang said. “I could simply send my robot and control it remotely.” For him the transition from spectacle to productivity begins with movement itself. “Movement is the prerequisite for work. Only when motion becomes stable enough can robots perform tasks reliably.” Unitree robots already achieve near perfect success rates in certain single-task assembly operations, although complex multi-step processes remain difficult. In 2025 the company shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots, placing it among the largest producers globally.

Jiang Zheyuan and the Speed of a Guerrilla Team

If Wang Xingxing represents the engineer-founder archetype, Jiang Zheyuan embodies a very different entrepreneurial temperament. Born in Beijing in 1998, Jiang grew up in a highly academic household. His father is a physics professor at Tsinghua University and his mother teaches at Peking University, yet Jiang himself felt drawn not toward academic research but toward entrepreneurship. In 2023, while studying for a doctoral degree at Tsinghua, he made a decision that surprised many people around him and left the programme to start a robotics company.

The early stage of the business was extremely fragile. The founding team consisted of just three people and a PowerPoint presentation, and their first fundraising attempt sought a valuation of fifty million yuan yet struggled to attract investors. When Jiang eventually secured just over thirty million yuan in funding he made what he later described as a typical mistake of young founders. Expansion accelerated rapidly, monthly expenditure exceeded three million yuan and the company suddenly faced severe financial pressure.

At that moment Jiang confronted a stark choice. Should the company slow down, conserve resources and extend survival, or accelerate aggressively in the hope of breaking through before funding ran out. He chose acceleration. Recruiting experienced engineers proved difficult, so Jiang designed extremely demanding technical tests to identify unconventional talent. One algorithm engineer who might easily have been rejected by major technology firms eventually helped train the control systems responsible for the dynamic movements of NOETIX Robotics’ N2 humanoid robot.

The company’s appearance at the 2026 Spring Festival Gala alongside veteran comedian Cai Ming offered a rare moment of national exposure. Jiang has never dismissed criticism that the world does not need millions of dancing robots, yet he believes those early machines play an essential role in technological progress. “We may not need a million robots that can dance,” he said, “but without those early robots we would never build the machines that eventually create real value for human production and daily life.” NOETIX Robotics today employs fewer than three hundred people, and Jiang often describes the organisation as a guerrilla team capable of moving quickly, making decisions fast and executing without hesitation.

Wu Changzheng and the Industrial Path to Robotics

Wu Changzheng represents a more experienced generation of robotics entrepreneurs. Before founding MagicLab he led the development of Xiaomi’s well known quadruped robot project, giving him deep experience in both robotics engineering and large-scale product development. The company he later established has expanded rapidly since its founding in 2024, completing two major funding rounds within its first six months and quickly attracting attention within China’s robotics investment community.

Wu believes the future of humanoid robotics will not emerge from spectacular demonstrations but from gradual integration into industrial systems. In his view robotics adoption is fundamentally a process transformation challenge rather than a single technological breakthrough. Factories, logistics networks and production environments must adapt in order to integrate intelligent machines effectively. MagicLab therefore focuses on deploying robots in real environments and improving them continuously through iteration and operational feedback.

The company has pursued deep vertical integration and develops more than ninety percent of its hardware components internally, including joint modules, actuators, dexterous robotic hands and control systems. This approach allows MagicLab to refine both hardware and algorithms simultaneously as robots encounter real industrial tasks. In 2025 the company launched the Thousand Scenario Co Creation Initiative, a programme designed to explore large numbers of practical deployment scenarios across manufacturing, logistics and inspection. Companies from sectors such as automotive manufacturing, semiconductors and consumer electronics have already joined the initiative to test humanoid robots in real operational environments.

Wu summarises the company’s philosophy in practical terms. The question is not whether robots look human or perform impressive demonstrations. The real question is whether embodied intelligence can solve concrete operational problems and reduce the burden of human labour in complex industrial systems.

Wang He and the Search for Data

Among the four founders, Wang He represents the most academic approach to robotics. Born in 1992, he studied electronic engineering at Tsinghua University before completing his doctorate at Stanford under renowned robotics researcher Leonidas Guibas. After returning to China he joined Peking University, where he established a laboratory dedicated to embodied perception and human-robot interaction.

Wang believes the greatest challenge facing humanoid robotics is not mechanical design but data. Internet companies can collect behavioural information from millions of users every day, but robotics companies must find alternative ways to generate training data for machines operating in physical environments. Galbot therefore relies heavily on simulation, building virtual worlds where robots can train on enormous quantities of synthetic motion data before entering real environments.

The team has developed an embodied AI model trained on billions of simulated motion sequences combined with a smaller set of real-world observations. Using this approach the company has deployed robots in experimental retail environments in Beijing, where machines retrieve products, manage inventory and deliver goods to customers in automated stores operating around the clock.

Despite the excitement surrounding humanoid robotics, Wang does not expect a sudden technological explosion comparable to the rise of large language models. “There will probably not be a single ChatGPT moment for embodied intelligence,” he said. Instead he believes the field will advance through gradual accumulation of data, continuous algorithm improvement and steady deployment across specific industries.

From Performers to Participants

Taken together, the four founders who appeared on the Spring Festival Gala stage represent different paths toward the same technological destination. Wang Xingxing focuses on motion capability, Jiang Zheyuan relies on entrepreneurial speed and unconventional talent, Wu Changzheng emphasises industrial deployment and operational integration, while Wang He concentrates on data generation and simulation-driven learning. These approaches differ in strategy but converge in ambition.

The goal is to transform robots from performers into participants in the real economy. The ultimate test of humanoid robotics will not be whether machines can dance on stage or impress audiences with carefully choreographed movement. The real question is whether they can operate quietly inside factories, warehouses, shops and homes, performing tasks reliably and safely.

If that moment arrives, the performances that captivated audiences during the 2026 Spring Festival Gala may eventually be remembered as the beginning of a much larger shift. What appeared to be entertainment on one of China’s most famous stages could mark the early steps of a technological transformation that reshapes how work itself is performed.

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The post China’s “Iron Legion”: Wang Xingxing, Jiang Zheyuan, Wu Changzheng and Wang He and the Breakthrough Year of Embodied Intelligence first appeared on The Icons.