The KEI is an aggregate index representing a nation or region's overall preparedness to compete in the Knowledge Economy based on four pillars: the economic incentive and institutional regime (EIR), innovation and technological adoption, education and training, and information and communications technologies (ICT) infrastructure.
Taiwan's knowledge economy competitiveness has continuously improved over the past 12 years, with the ranking rising from 16th in 2000 to 13th this year, and the gap with other leading nations decreasing.
The Switzerland-based group compiles the annual survey to measure the propensity for 142 economies around the world to exploit the opportunities offered by information and communications technology (ICT).
Among the Asian economies studied in the WEF's Global Information Technology 2012 Report, Taiwan lags behind only second-ranked Singapore and is ahead of 12th-ranked South Korea, 13th-ranked Hong Kong and 18th-ranked Japan.
Read more: Taiwan ranks 11th in WEF global networked readiness survey
The projects will help make government information available to the public and stimulate innovative industries, Chu said.
Chu, who also serves as deputy convener of the Board of Science and Technology under the Executive Yuan, made the comments at a BOST meeting on open data promotion strategies.
The platform, which was commissioned by the Taichung City Government, will integrate the city’s digital map libraries including urban planning and cadastral map libraries, and will allow users to browse records concerning the city’s major construction projects and tenders.
The project made use of Google Earth Enterprise cloud technology and Google historical image browsing technology to allow users to access their own private “Earth” to search and browse city government map layers in 3-D.
Read more: Taiwan launches cloud-based map of municipal works
Since the in-person passport application requirements was introduced on 1 July for first-time applicants, over 300,000 citizens have applied leading to the in-person passport application rate of 45.18 percent, noted Thomas Chen, Director General of the Ministry's Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Read more: Taiwan sees increase in first-time in-person biometric passport applications