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Updated Saturday, February 4, 2012 0:43 am TWN, CNA

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Cloud strategy should focus on software: minister

TAIPEI--Taiwan should learn a lesson from its failure to focus more on software and applications in its personal computer development history while charting its cloud computing technology promotion plan, an incoming minister-without-portfolio said yesterday.

Chang San-cheng (張善政), head of search engine giant Google Inc.'s Asia-Pacific hardware operations who has been named as minister-without-portfolio in charge of technology related affairs in the new Cabinet, said that Taiwan must not repeat its error of overlooking software and applications in developing cloud technology.

“We should cautiously cope with such blind spots while positioning ourselves for the global cloud race,” said Chang during a working trip to Hong Kong.

Noting that mobile devices with cloud computing capabilities that allow people to access large amounts of Internet data anywhere and at anytime will be key to driving the technology sector in the future, Chang said Taiwan cannot afford to repeat its error of focusing on hardware production and should instead invest heavily both in hardware and software.

He cautioned that local investment in cloud computing-related software and applications remains limited.

On his new job in the Cabinet to be led by Premier-designate Sean Chen, Chang said he will diligently serve as the government's “information and communications technology (ICT) promoter.”

An engineering expert, Chang noted that he worked for more than 10 years for one of Taiwan's leading PC vendors, Acer Inc., before joining search Google a year ago.

“I'm fully aware of all the hardships local ICT industry operators have endured in their struggle to maintain their niche in the highly competitive global market,” the 57-year-old said, adding that he will do his best to help upgrade the sector after assuming his new post.

As ICT can be applied to many fields, such as high-end agriculture, as well as the cultural and creative industries, Chang said an ICT industry boom could benefit many other local businesses.

Chang, a Cornell and Stanford graduate, was one of the masterminds of Google's Asia-Pacific Data Center in Taiwan, a project that carried a price tag of US$100 million. As he needs time to wrap up his work at Google, Chang said, he will join the new Cabinet later this year.

The Cabinet will be sworn in Feb. 6.

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