Taipei Mayor Pledges to Bolster Cloud-based Visual Effect Development

Taipei, Nov. 27, 2012 (CENS)--Taipei City Major Hau Lung-pin recently said the city government will work hard to help a joint venture recently signed between Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd., and Rhythm & Hues (R&H) to develop cloud for animation and visual effect (CAVE) in conjunction with the city's cloud industry plan.

Hau said the joint venture, which will be established in Taipei, marks a new milestone for the city's cloud-computing and digital cultural & creative industries by strengthening the city's competitiveness in international cultural & creative market and upgrading its cultural & creative industry.

He estimated the CAVE venture would create 300 direct jobs and train over 1,000 visual-effect specialists in three years. According to studies released by the non-profit Institute for Information Industry (III) of Taiwan, the visual-effects industry produced an estimated US$46-81 billion in revenue worldwide in 2011, including US$18-40 billion contributed by the animation sector and US$5-11 billion by the film-making sector.

The mayor said that the city of Taipei will develop cloud-computing industrial parks each featuring dedicated core technology in multi stages. He estimated these parks would altogether generate revenue up to NT$100 billion (US$3.4 billion at US$1: NT$29) a year and create 10,000 jobs.

Hau stressed that the city has built a friendly environment for the cloud industry after years of investment in information infrastructures. Currently, wireless broadband has covered 90% of each of the city's district prefectures. Also, the city government offers free-of-charge wireless Internet connections at public sites.