TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Medical Taiwan Expo is taking place from Thursday to Saturday at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.
Organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, the event attracts 316 participating companies, including Hiwin Technology Corp., Foxconn, Wistron Medical Technology Corp., and Quanta Computer, per CNA. The council expects more than 10,000 domestic and international buyers for business negotiations.
Taiwan External Trade Development Council Chair James Huang (黃志芳) said this year's expo theme focuses on all-age healthcare, smart healthcare, and advanced medical technologies. He noted the event features a pet healthcare section for the first time.
Huang said that the Trump administration's tariff policies will affect Taiwanese medical suppliers exporting to the US. As a result, the council invited experts from Wellstar Health System to brief attendees on US procurement policies and provide insights on American distribution channels.
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan's medical device exports reached NT$82.55 billion (US$2.54 billion) last year, up 1.5% from 2023. The US was the largest market, accounting for 29.7% of exports, followed by Japan at 15.9% and China at 13.1%.
Medical equipment and supplies accounted for half of the medical device industry. The industry's growth was mainly driven by the eyewear manufacturing sector, with rising orders for sunglasses and contact lenses pushing the eyewear industry to grow by 7.3% year-on-year.
Many medical institutions in Taiwan are partnering with Nvidia to bring AI applications into clinical settings. MacKay Memorial Hospital adopted a robot powered by Nvidia technology to support medical care. Huang said that as Taiwan enters an aging society, healthcare providers will develop more wearable devices to offer comprehensive medical management for the elderly.
The council added that this year's medical innovation zone brings technologies from companies in the US, Belgium, Israel, South Korea, and Taiwan, showcasing solutions such as digital therapeutics and health tracking. The agency also set up a smart medical pavilion, featuring simulated operating rooms and smart wards to demonstrate applications in medical imaging, telemedicine, and smart surgery.
Tmax Strategy and Marketing Inc. is showcasing self-developed smart mattresses, tech-enabled clothing, and AI Pet Gear. The company is also exhibiting its contactless health sensor, which uses wireless signals to detect vital signs at a distance up to 40 centimeters with 95% accuracy.
