Big tech companies have played a questionable role sometimes when it comes to democracy, being a platform where fake news can be spread, or where voters could be influenced. What sort of role do they need to play when it comes to reinventing democracy?

But is there more to it when it comes to digital reinvention of democracy than just providing a bunch of papers for that matter?

Now you’ve started writing computer code when you were a kid; you’ve been active as a hacker, as a computer hacker; now you’re the Digital Minister of Taiwan, and you’re calling for the reinvention of democracy. How’s it supposed to look like and how do you perceive your own role ...

The protests there have grown more violent in the last period of time and there’s the chance that at some point Beijing says “we’ve had enough, we’re going to intervene with force.” How do you view this?

For five months now, people in Hong Kong have been protesting for democracy and against what they perceive as a growing influence by the mainland government from China. As an official from Taiwan – an island which Beijing considers a “breakaway territory” – how do you view these protests?

All right, thank you so much.

OK. Do you think that formal education would get less important in the future?

You mentioned educational institutions like Chulalongkorn can enable people in the future to fully participate in social innovation?

The question is, what Thailand can learn from your technology, and what collaborations do you expect to have in the future?

Thank you so much.

The last question. What is the advise would you give to young generation?

Do you have any country where you are learning from, in your mind, about the GovTech?

Talking about AI, how AI can help reaching the sustainable development goals?

What will technology turn from government to be more transparency?

What is the future of democracy on your mind?

OK. The first question. From tech people, what led you to support government? What inspired you about this view?

The first question. From the...

Thank you so much. Should we start?

That was wonderful, thank you very much. Really appreciate it.

Thank you. Is there anything else that you wanted to say at this time?

Specifically, how do you think different countries, provinces, or cities can work together across their jurisdictions?

Last question for you. Can you talk a little bit about why it might be important for open government and social innovation movements to work together across jurisdictions and what that might look like?

Rather than just automating processes that already exist, making things happen in a different way, in an innovative way. Taking new approaches to old problems.

Adding on to that, can you talk about how people that might see digital government and social innovation, instead of just automating the processes and automating the same steps, how you’re forced to reevaluate the question and make sure that you’re actually answering and innovating in new ways?

If there were people who saw social innovation and digital government as two different movements, if those groups weren’t connected, what might you have to say to some of those people?

What are some of the things that you’ve seen in the government of Canada that connect to your work? Could you comment a little bit, maybe, on the digital enablement unit specifically, as well as anything else that comes to mind?

What do you think are some things that we might be able to do together in the next six months? What are the smaller things that you hope for in the short term?

You’ve heard a little bit about the unit, the digital enablement unit of the government of Canada. Can you talk a little bit about how, why the work of the digital enablement unit might be important?

What might you say to a civil servant in another country, like Canada, about their work, and how it fits into your experiment?

If someone were very stressed out and worried, what are the kind of problems that you hope this would solve, or why is it the most important thing for us to focus on?

Why does this work really matter? If you were explaining it to someone you just met in the street, what’s important to know?

What’s the change that you’re hoping to see?

OK, cool. Can you tell us a bit about the digital government movement in Taiwan, and some of the ideas behind that?

OK.

I’m expecting to work with you.

I’m going to work that through the pathway of the university. I think that was a good idea. I’m trying to invite Kel and his wife back to set some fires everywhere.

Kel has been talking with me about his idea to have VR festival here.

Oh, OK.

[non‑English speech]

[non‑English speech] .

Is it possible...? [non‑English speech] .

Yeah.

Yeah, but try to rebuild it online.

You two together, sitting together, have a very relaxing conversation.

Yeah. That’s right.

My second thought is that, I really enjoy your relaxing conversation. Is it possible for you to have a similar occasion to be on the Google things you did just a few weeks ago, and talking about the VR and try to open the eyes for those in audience who ...

Because we are trying to set up a virtual college on digital arts in Chengchi University.

Is it possible...? After our workshop next week, I’m thinking to extend similar meaningful programs for the young students here, so if there’s a possibility I might come and listen to it, to follow, to try to maximize.

Makes sense.

Is it possible you teach again?