Kuo’s Journey: 60 Years of Industrial Transformation

Prepared by Peter Lichang Kuo

(Chinese)

Table of Contents:

I. Introduction

II. My Grandmother's Heavenly Father

III. Grateful for the Lord Almighty

IV. Grateful for the Sputnik Satellite

V. A Big Warning

VI. Gratitude to Mrs. Ruth Handler

VII. Reflections on Social Responsibility Investment (SRI)

VIII. Conclusion

I. Introduction

"Time flies!" In the blink of an eye, sixty years have passed, and 6 decades in the industrial sector is now behind me. 1965 was a pivotal year, by June, before the graduation song of the Park Elementary School's "Auld Lang Syne" sounded, I was already able to independently make precision deep-drawing progressive dies and assemble automatic production machines and feeding conveyors. In November, after accompanying my father to Kaohsiung for avoiding his jail term, I found myself taking charge of the family business at just 12 years old, responsible for feeding a family of nine. Unexpectedly, the "Cheng Kuang Metal Works" I established in the back alley of the Kuoming Market on No. 16, Chung Hsing Street became a major supplier to the American Transworld Electronics Corporation. Even more unexpectedly, the factories I built, including the bakelite, the ultra-fine wire, and the yoke, as well as the "Cheng Kuang Precision Industrial Co., Ltd." founded in 1974 by the Taiping Bridge, attracted a visit from Prime Minister Chiang Ching-Kuo, who presented me with the four characters "Utilizing Resources & Benefit All"—a phrase essential for political scholars to understand. Meanwhile, I helped Tainan city establish a sister-city relationship with San Jose. Years later, during an interview with Mr. K. T. Li, he mentioned, "If we had not known about Silicon Valley, Taiwan’s industrial transformation might have been a long way off." It all feels like it was just yesterday, yet it has already been the end of 2024, with 2025 right around the corner. I am filled with gratitude and reflection.

I still remember when Taiwan was entirely reliant on exporting bananas to Japan. Banana farmers who made money in Chishan would often come to the World Grand Ballroom (Dance Hall) on Youth Road to burn their earnings, until the "Banana Incident" broke out, which later turned into a widely discussed judicial case. Having witnessed the unreliability of agriculture, I worked hard to hone my skills. I am grateful for the Soviet Union's launch of the Sputnik satellite, which forced U.S. President Eisenhower to start the space race. This space race benefitted me, and within just a few years, I created “Taiwan's Precision Industry,” facilitating Taiwan's transition from an agricultural society to an industrialized one. In 1998, we successfully gained the E-Commerce Bill at APEC based on our result of “Social Responsibility Investment” (SRI), which facilitated Taiwan's transition to an information society. This, in turn, led Taiwan to take the lead in the global development of the digital economy, upgrading electronic commerce into the “Photon” age. This entire process is a unique historical case full of challenges, opportunities, changes, and innovations, with the key factor being the presence of excellent public officials like Mr. K. T. Li, who created opportunities for the common people. However, as economic growth and technological progress continue, the contradiction between material pursuit and spiritual deficiency has become increasingly prominent, and the reflection on social responsibility, ethical issues, and cultural values has become a pressing problem.

Fig 1: Mr. K. T. Li—the Father of Taiwan’s Science and Technology

II. My Grandmother's Heavenly Father

Sixty years have been a long journey full of challenges and opportunities. Against this backdrop, I have had the privilege to witness and participate in Taiwan’s industrial transformation and globalization process. Growing up in a family that was extremely poor and filled with a sense of solemnity, my only hope was what my grandmother referred to as "Heavenly Father." Our family was often so poor that my grandmother would gently hold a bowl of rice in her frail hands and feed us six brothers. Every time, she would ask us to close our eyes, and she would mumble, "Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the gift..." One time, I could no longer bear it and boldly asked, "If there is a Heavenly Father, why doesn't He give each of us a bowl of rice?" My grandmother answered firmly, "He will, as long as you believe. One day, it will happen!"

During those days of poverty, the family's livelihood relied solely on my grandmother's “little scissor” for cutting paper, while the rest of us spent our time playing. In 1962, at the age of nine, I was sneaking around looking for my father to play with, when out of nowhere, I was stabbed in the temple of my head by an iron rod, shaped like chopsticks, from behind the door. I collapsed in a pool of blood at once, but I saw a light—a vision of my hardworking grandmother, and of the idle youth, A-Kun and A-Jin. I finally understood the cause of our poverty. From that day on, I stopped playing with my father and focused on learning how he used tools, making time to continuously hone my own skills.

A-Kun was my father. He was very eccentric—whenever someone introduced him to something new, he would spare no expense in diving into it. But once it was done, he would discard it as if it were useless, proudly saying, "Mass production? Isn’t that an insult to my intelligence?" Adding to this, a long litigation regarding a "Communist-spy Case," and his refusal to learn Mandarin, it was no wonder we were poor. However, he was like a living industrial bible for me, and by June 1965, I was able to independently make deep-drawing progressive dies (molds) and assemble those related automations. "Miracles happen to those who are prepared." The night before my father went to prison, he handed over the burden of supporting the family to me. My grandmother’s Heavenly Father truly answered my call, bringing one customer after another. Not only did I make sure no one of my family went hungry, but I also created a very comfortable environment for them to thrive in.

III. Grateful for the Lord Almighty

There were many factors that led me to accompany my father to Kaohsiung, but the biggest one was the appointment of Mr. K. T. Li as the Minister of Economic Affairs in 1965. He immediately began land reclamation in the Cianjhen area to build the "Kaohsiung Export Processing Zone" (KEPZ) and simultaneously sought foreign investments. Foreigners could start businesses in the KEPZ simply by bringing their bags. My grandmother's Heavenly Father told me, "Those foreigners will buy the fine eyelets you are good at making." With faith, I overcame numerous challenges and, in December 1966, successfully secured a deal with the American Transworld Electronics Corporation (Avnet Inc.).

I initially thought that if I made a sample based on the client's drawing, I would easily secure the order. However, the requirements were overwhelming. After two days of making a new mold, auto-feeder, and bronze material, I handed the sample over to the American client. But to my surprise, it took nearly a month of revisions. Once the sample was approved, they asked for a formal document—an "Approval Sheet"—and only after passing the review would they place the order. Fortunately, with the guidance of my grandmother's Heavenly Father, I was blessed with the wisdom to create the "Approval Sheet," and secured the order. It is said that Transworld was one of the first companies to ship products when KEPZ opened.

My product was merely a bronze part, yet I had to submit an "Approval Sheet" containing drawings, mechanical property, electrical property, solderability of terminals, etc., all written and labeled in English. I asked my cousin, who had graduated from the law department of Chung-Hsing University and was handling the "Banana Case," for help. His face turned red, and he looked distressed—he was completely unable to assist. A-Jin was my mother. The most frequent thing I heard her say growing up was, "I originally want to be a boss's wife, but so bad luck that I married the wrong guy!" Her methods of abusing children were many and cruel. She was unwilling to read any book and learn in her life, and even refused to learn how to ride a bicycle. As I struggled to deal with the American client, I was constantly bombarded with her harsh words, such as, "If you dream of doing business with Americans, not only vain hope, but you may have your testicles cut off. You’re just a poor stupid!"

However, I am grateful for my grandmother’s Heavenly Father, He is the Lord Almighty who helped me miraculously complete the "Approval Sheet." As a result, our family had the best New Year in 1967 that we had ever experienced— everyone had new clothes and shoes to wear, and even received red envelopes of lucky money.

IV. Grateful for the Sputnik Satellite

The Sputnik satellite was the first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957. Following this, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1980-1969) signed "the National Aeronautics and Space Act," establishing NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and initiating "the Apollo Moon Program," which sparked the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. From 1967 to 1972, with Apollo missions from 1 to 17, I was one of the biggest beneficiaries. It allowed a poor and ridiculed family in the capital city (Tainan) to turn over. Although my father’s "Communist-spy Case" led to endless blackmail letters and frequent visits from the police, and even Dr. Mei Ko-Wang, Secretary-General of the National Youth Commission of Executive Yuan, came to visit, I always told them: "The country's development must rely on the precision electronic products made by people like us."

Fig 2: President Dwight D. Eisenhower (cited from internet)

By 1974, I had built the largest house among my relatives, located by the Taiping Bridge on the Yanshui (Salt-water) River. Even Chiang Ching-kuo couldn't resist coming in and asking, "In the simplest terms, tell me, what is precision industry?" Without hesitation, I replied, "It’s about making things very small." A-Kun, who had never motive to read a book, was selected as a national representative for good deeds thanks to my public relations efforts. A-Jin, carrying a whole bag of money, said to my cousin, who had come to take her out shopping, "Toku, my biggest worry is that I won’t be able to spend all this bag of money today."

In 1969, due to the obsolescence of vacuum tubes, many of my Taiwanese clients went bankrupt or struggled to stay afloat. But thanks to the space race sparked by the Sputnik satellite, I still had enough purchasing orders to make money for my family members to squander. The most important thing was that Director Chuang of Yongfu Electric Company came to my small factory every day. I helped them until they received an order for "Portable Transistor Recorder" from a Jewish buyer.

I helped Yongfu Electric Company because in July 1966, after moving back to Tainan from Kaohsiung, I went to them to ask for orders. A group of people was mocking me when their boss, Chen Yong-Tian, saw this and scolded his employees, telling them, "His father is in prison, and this young boy is out here doing business. Let’s buy some eyelets from him!" Later, after made much efforts, Yongfu Electric Company became the pioneer of Taiwan’s "Portable Transistor Recorder," and within three years, they built a factory of over 10,000 square meters in Yong Kang. In the 1970s, Taiwan's exports were largely supported by those portable transistor recorders.

In fact, if you visit the NASA Museum, you can see that the product I made back then was just a fine "copper tubular rivet" (eyelet) riveted onto a Bakelite board. However, they not only required precise outer diameters but also insisted on specific inner diameters, and the riveting must be smooth and flawless—no cracks were allowed. It is said that, without the aid of machine tools, only one Taiwanese young man—me—could meet these stringent requirements. As for that "Approval Sheet," only I was able to make it, and it later became an important reference document for the global electronics industry.

The Sputnik satellite entered space in 1957, while the Apollo 1 rocket in the U.S. was only prepared for launch in January 1967. Unfortunately, three astronauts died in a fire during a test, revealing that there was still a technological gap between the U.S. and the Soviet Union at the time. For some unknown reason, there were no Apollo 2 or 3 missions. We used to hear Americans say, "Vacuum tubes will explode." Did Apollo 1 to 3 use vacuum tubes? Therefore, in November 1967, they launched the uncrewed Apollo 4 mission, it might be using a new transistor design. I was informed that my products were "Top Secret" at the time.

Due to the replacement of vacuum tubes with transistors, many came to me to develop new products. My reputation as the "Dr. Blacksmith" and "Gadget Master" spread throughout the island from KEPZ, and my income was still quite good. The most important thing was that we still had the energy to serve the community—donating money to "the Ten Major Construction Projects" and promoting national diplomacy— Tainan’s Mayor, Chang Li-Tang, invited us to help establish a sister-city relationship with San Jose, California. In 1975, when a delegation from San Jose visited, many of its members worked for IBM. We had a discussion about the future of computers in the “Cheng Kuang Precision Industrial Co., Ltd.” by Taiping Bridge, and I made some “Quick-Disconnectors” as gifts, contributing to the information industry.

Fig 3: Li-Chang Kuo created Taiwan’s Precision Industry in 1974

V. A Big Warning

In the past, at the Kaohsiung Kuoming Market, there was a scholar from mainland China who had fallen on hard times. Every night, he would come to sell old books. Besides reading the charge-free books, I also took the opportunity to learn to speak "Mandarin" from him, while he learned some “Taiwanese” from me. Under his guidance, I read many ancient books. He told me a story about "Daily enjoy killing of Shun to death"—there was once a virtuous man named “Shun,” whose father, Gu-Sou (a eyes open man but see nothing), and stepmother had a younger brother named “Xiang.” Every day, they enjoyed the resources that Shun provided for them, yet the three of them constantly schemed to kill him. This teacher, Nan, looked at me with a hesitant expression, as if he wanted to say something but didn't.

In 1968, a diviner named Chang from Changhua came to see me at No. 69 Chong-An Street. He told me that after observing the stars at night, he had profound feelings and had traveled a long way to find me. He wanted to make a chart "Fleeting Time" (Yearly Fortune Analysis) for me. After more than a year, I had built the first house after the destruction of my family residence 37 years ago, providing a better environment for everyone. Mr. Chang found me again at new house in Park Road. When I opened the first page of "Fleeting Time," the words "Parents are heartless, brothers are unfaithful" immediately made me lose my temper. However, Mr. Chang looked troubled and earnestly said, "Li-Chang, you are someone who will change the world. I have already revealed the heavenly secret, so I hope you take my warning words seriously."

Actually, I had already sensed this myself, but Confucianism's "Confucian thought" deeply influenced my decisions. I saw my young brothers, who had just stopped breastfeeding, being handed over to my grandmother by A-Jin. She used extremely harsh words to insult my grandmother and then said, "I’m going out to earn money!" However, I never saw her bring back a single penny. The family’s living still relied on “my grandmother’s small scissors.” Since 1967, I had been earning tens of thousands of dollars per month and gave money to A-Jin to buy a piece of land. She bought a piece of lowland next to a stinky drain at the lane-end of Park Road, which was land of a charity institution. The most ridiculous thing was that she continuously lied to me in front of my eyes. As for the time in 1966 when my father was imprisoned, and how she exploited me during that time, there is no need to elaborate— because there’s not enough space in a book to write it all.

When I was about to finish my sixth grade, my teacher, Chiu Sen-Ran, suddenly called me from the “cattle herding class” (Later Class) and suggested I take “the Joint Exam of Junior High.” To everyone’s surprise, I passed and got into the municipal junior high. I thought to myself, "Leaving school to support the family was a necessity," and now that the family was no longer struggling, I deeply understood that "To rise in noble, one must read." When I heard about the night school education program, I quickly carved out time from my 20-hour workdays to attend evening classes. A few days later, one night after class, I returned home to hear A-Jin’s piercing scream. She pretended to slam herself against the wall and shouted, "I will die today at the front of you!" She opposed me going to night school, claiming the night school was full of gangsters and prostitutes. After arguing the whole night, I finally asked her, "What your conditions do I need to meet in order to attend night school?" She demanded I hand over “all the money I earned,” but she would not give me a single cent. I had to figure out how to pay my tuition myself. To any soul’s surprise, I agreed to her terms, and she boldly brought a guy (the other man) into our home within a week.

Mr. Chen Yong-Tian from Yongfu Electric bought me several hundred dollars for my eyelets, and I helped him through a tough time, which led to a turning point. During this period, a Japanese man, Mr. Tsukuda, came to me to develop new products. I gave more to Yongfu than I did to the Japanese, and soon I got receivable “NTD 1.2 million” back in payment from Japanese. The strange thing was, A-Jin and my cousin from National Chong-Hsing University, they actually worked together to destroy Mr. Tsukuda's Electronics Company. I quickly used the said money to buy several plots of land in Yong Kang, the most expensive one costing "NTD 33.3 per square meter," planning to build the factories after I returned from military service. However, because American clients wanted to list on “NYSE” (the New York Stock Exchange) and Mayor Chang Li-Tang wanted to establish a sister city relationship with San Jose; the most critical factor was that A-Jin, after a beating from her family members due to the other man, asked me to give her "the biggest house among the relatives"—and it was in the area closed Taiping Bridge— the must-pass place when going from Tainan to Jiali. This was why, in addition to constructing three factories on Chong Cheng South Road, I established "Cheng Kuang Precision Industrial Co., Ltd." ahead of schedule in 1974.

One day, my friend told me, "When raising a dog, be careful not to get bitten by it!" He advised me to be like him, to keep what’s mine, and to act like a boss. Even with brothers, employees are just employees. He strongly disagreed with me encouraging my brothers to study. I worked diligently every day, offering the best service to every client. Of course, "good quality and punctual delivery" required effort, and I almost always arrived at the exam room just before the bell rang. But I passed every exam on my first try, and I never ranked below first place in my graduation exams; however, none of my brothers were exempt from retaking exams. No wonder my friend said, "You’re asking for trouble!" Sure enough, this was exactly where A-Jin’s influence lay—she carried out a series of immoral and unethical actions that would not take a whole book to describe.

Recently, a classmate who had been living abroad for forty years returned and asked me, "Why, even though you had already achieved so much in business back then, have we not heard of you in recent years, while many others have risen to prominence?" Indeed, in the 1970s, Cheng Kuang was seen as a rising star in the minds of the national leader; and in 1979, I founded "Black Stone Co." in New York, developing satellite receivers and cable TV products, exactly what was needed in the 1980s. Before going to the United States, I gave A-Jin NTD 6 million, and she used this money to train assassins. A series of coups activated by A-Jin on May 4, 1980, and I lost a child in the 1982 coup – if he had been able to come into the world safely, he might have become an elite in some field.

On November 22, 1998, I hurried back from a laboratory in Germany to celebrate my father's birthday. He took my hand and asked, "Is Cheng Kuang returning to you, OK? I’ve been very unhappy these past years without you..." He told me the story of how A-Jin used my brothers I had raised to go against me. At that time, my wife and I had already won the "E-Commerce Bill" at the podium of APEC based on “The eStore System” we invented. Merrill Lynch came to Silicon Valley to discuss stock listings with me, and our PCH Corporation was valued at 60 billion dollars. How could I look back at this broken object? Unexpectedly, poor A-Kun called me on December 31, saying he was coming to the north to discuss the return of the assets, only to die the next day! This has caused me pain for more than 20 years.

As the Scripture says: "Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself?" (Ecclesiastes 7:16). But for my wife, who was in a universal concern to the world, above advice was useless. Clearly, we had invented the contactless, cashless system that everyone in the 21st century would use, and we were international experts in tech-economic policies. Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs were competing for us as clients, but she was tempted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs to build a factory in the Taichung Port Export Processing Zone in Wuqixi, which delayed the best timing. The pilot exercise of USD 600 million in Chengdu, was falsely accused by the island’s corrupt cartel of being "money-grabbing criminals to benefit PRC," and those corrupt jackals laughed maliciously, saying: "You’ve lost your mother and brothers! You won’t survive past 2004!" Indeed, A-Jin cooperated with them and, along with her five sons, sued me, squeezing out the last drop of my blood while creating countless obstacles to prevent me from moving forward. I am a practitioner, and whenever I sit quietly, my soul travels outside my body, and I already know what is happening. Yet, I still uphold Confucianism, despite knowing Mr. Chang's big warning, and allowed these wrongdoings to happen, which puzzles my friends who care about me.

VI. Gratitude to Mrs. Ruth Handler

In the U.S. Hall of Fame, there is a notable figure, Mrs. Ruth Handler—she is not only the inventor of the "Barbie Doll" but may also be the pioneer of "Talking Toys." After being completely robbed by A-Jin in 1982, I ended up in Kaohsiung, then Taipei. My first job at Mattel involved solving a production issue with Mrs. Handler's invention, the "See & Say" talking toy, in just five minutes of mine.

Fig 4: Mrs. Ruth Handler & Her Inventions (cited from internet)

The asset seizure coup orchestrated by A-Jin in 1982 caused me significant losses, and I had to flee to Kaohsiung, feeling utterly disheartened. I decided to quit the electronics industry for good but ended up working for a Hong Kong-owned toy company, Kaida, in the KEPZ. I encountered familiar faces nearly every day, and they all asked the same question: "How did the famous founder of Cheng Kuang Precision, Li-Chang Kuo, end up working here in the processing zone?" My wife saw how unhappy I was, and one day, she showed me a "WANTED" ad in English. The company was looking for a "Specialist" with a "Master's Degree," and I seemed to meet the qualifications. So, I seized the opportunity and went to Taipei, where I found a stable income and the chance to teach others. To be precise, the concept of "Precision Industry" craftsmanship, drawing, and documentation in the Taipei metropolitan area began in 1982.

My job as a specialist was actually quite simple: all I had to do was collaborate with senior professional managers and "prove that Barbie was beyond saving," and I could collect a salary and live comfortably. However, influenced by the Confucian teachings I studied with Teacher Nan in my youth, I adhered to the principle: "Speak the truth in love." (Ephesians 4:15). After fierce political struggles, I managed to revive the Barbie Doll. What impressed me the most was that Mrs. Ruth Handler had so many successful inventions in such an early era. Inspired by this, I had an idea: "Give Barbie a new life."

Giving Barbie new life meant combining Barbie with the "See & Say" to create the "Talking Barbie." Apart from the power chip, I was developing an integrated electronic component to make a "system-on-chip" (SoC) that could fit into Barbie's limited body space. With a simple arm movement, Barbie would speak a phrase. Unfortunately, Mattel decided in 1985 to close its Taiwan factory (MLT, Mattel Ltd. Taiwan) and asked me if I wanted to move to Malaysia with them.

Recall that after I was robbed to nothing left, A-Jin pointed at my nose and shouted, "I curse you to have no way out!" I am deeply grateful to the company founded by Mrs. Ruth Handler for taking me in at my lowest point, allowing me to start a new way out in Northern Taiwan. I was not happy to see them pull out of Taiwan, leaving thousands of families unemployed. Another factor was that the new product—satellite receiver I developed in 1979 was gradually gaining acceptance in the market, and large orders were flowing to Taiwan. The substantial income allowed us to invest in "social responsibility investment" (SRI), hoping to address structural social problems.

In 1992, I received an invitation from Mrs. Ruth to attend her Christmas party in America. She hoped I would continue to support Barbie, and I also mentioned our invention of the cross-century industry—"The eStore System” for the electronic commerce. She was delighted that our SRI was related to the distribution channels that able to extend her inventions. Unfortunately, during the 1993 Chinese Lunar New Year, when I brought my wife and children to the U.S., we were interrogated for hours by Seattle customs. As a result, we returned to Taiwan with a three-to-one vote after visiting Mrs. Ruth. Had it not been for the customs' hostile attitude at the time, I would have bought an American factory, and if I had implemented my early idea of "giving Barbie a new life," the world would certainly have been a very different.

Fig 5: My wife and children to Barbie's hometown—El Segundo

VII. Reflections on Social Responsibility Investment (SRI)

A society is composed of three main units: "the people, the enterprises, and the government." If each unit can perform its duties and has the ability to respond to problems, the society will be peaceful and prosperous; otherwise, it will be plagued by suffering. The "ability to respond to problems" mentioned above is responsibility, much like the 12-year-old boy who, when entrusted with a task, must have the ability to address challenges and lead his family through turbulent times to a safe harbor. Especially when in difficult circumstances—such as the oppression from A-Jin—one should still select to invest in knowledge. Even if tangible assets are plundered, one can still be recognized by figures like Mrs. Ruth Handler.

As for the government, in 1965, Taiwan was at the tail end of an agricultural society, with a simple social structure and slow economic development. However, under the leadership of Mr. K. T. Li, who was a devout Christian, Taiwan underwent an economic transformation. He brought American clients to me, allowing me to leverage my talents and create Taiwan’s Precision Industry. In 1982, I worked at MLT, a "Bonded Factory" in Taipei, because the Export Processing Zones had limited capacity. Mr. Li’s pragmatic industrial policy enabled me to build on this foundation, accumulating the energy for social responsibility investment (SRI) and contributing to Taiwan’s breakthroughs on the global stage through APEC in both technology and economics. Every historical milestone was filled with endless effort, wisdom, and courage behind the scenes.

In this historical context, I was fortunate to witness and participate in Taiwan’s industrial transformation and globalization process. Whether in the precision industry or the leading development of E-Commerce, the technologies and products I contributed—such as “satellite receivers and non-contact cashless payment system”—have had a significant impact on the world. Especially in the field of E-Commerce, the contactless electronic payment system, which today has a transaction volume reaching USD 36 trillion, has an extensive and deep impact on global industries.

The starting point of social responsibility investment (SRI) is "LOVE." However, due to rampant corruption, the original creators of these SRI inventions have been unable to control them, leading to a rapid concentration of wealth and making the mission goal of common prosperity seem distant. Nevertheless, we can still hear faint voices in international conferences calling for a balance between innovation and ethics, material and spiritual well-being, and internationalization and autonomy. In the face of increasingly fierce global competition and rapidly developing technological waves, we must actively explore and reflect on the following aspects:

1. Thorough Implementation of Anti-Corruption Conventions:
Those corrupt groups on the island, in collaboration with A-Jin, created unimaginable barriers. However, after urgent prayers from intercessors, I still managed to break through and attend the APEC CEO Summit. After 18 years of effort, the “Lima Anti-Corruption Declaration” has been successfully linked with the “UNCAC” (United Nations Convention Against Corruption). Economic leaders from various economies now realize the detrimental effects of corruption on economic growth and development. They are committed to preventing and combating corruption, and ensuring that corrupt criminals and their illegal assets are not sheltered.

2. Strengthening Intellectual Property and Innovation Protection:
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley held hearings to discuss strengthening the protection of technological innovation and intellectual property under the “Credit Card Competition Act” (CCCA). The aim is to avoid over-reliance on oligopolistic markets, which can lead to monopolies and unfair practices toward small and medium-sized enterprises. Due to rampant corruption, we lost the opportunity to defend our patent rights. However, in the new era, copyrights have become the core of intellectual property. With stronger enforcement of the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) agreement by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), we can establish an “SRI Fund” using the revenues from our intellectual property. This fund will ensure the interests of future innovators and entrepreneurs while maintaining a fair competitive environment.

3. Promoting Technological Innovation and Green Development:
When I first took charge of my duty in 1965, none of my clients were from the electronics industry. However, after the KEPZ opened in 1966, a number of electronics companies appeared. We expanded from electronic components and application materials to automation machinery and eventually developed the products of contactless induction technology, forming the E-Commerce industry. We gradually enhanced Taiwan's competitiveness in frontier technology areas such as ICT, IoT, V2X, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and green energy. Technological innovation is undoubtedly the engine of economic development, and it should also serve as a tool to address the issues of cultural, social, ethical, and environment. Therefore, we advocate for the development of organic new materials and the upgrading of “Electronics” to the “Photon” age. We actively promote green technology development, aligning sustainable development with global energy policies, and paving the way for a development path that is both globally competitive and environmentally friendly.

4. Enhancing Social Responsibility and Humanistic Values:
Innovative technology inevitably leads to vigorous material development, but after six decades of industrial evolution, the most worth discussing is still at “Social Responsibility Investment” (SRI). According to the conclusions from a meeting in New York, our contactless-tech and related inventions helped approximately 1.5 billion people conduct economic activities without physical contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan was initiated in 1986. Therefore, any innovative industry development should prioritize humanistic values, without a time limit, especially under the drive of technology and business. It is essential to emphasize universal concern and avoid societal indifference and the loss of values.

5. Building a New Global Cooperation and Fair Trade Order:
When socially responsibility investment beard the fruits, we strived to use platforms like APEC to promote the cross-century industry of “E-Commerce” and benefit hundreds of millions of people. Taiwan needs to actively participate in global governance and international cooperation, particularly in areas such as trade, finance, technology, and the environment, where multiple countries can engage. We should advocate for a more fair and transparent international order. Therefore, we must return to the core task of “Anti-Corruption” to create more favorable conditions for Taiwan's development.

VIII. Conclusion

Looking back, Taiwan has transformed in just sixty years from an agrarian economy into a global powerhouse in manufacturing and high technology. Throughout this process, outstanding government officials like Mr. K. T. Li, social entrepreneurs, and technological innovators have worked together to bring Taiwan’s manufacturing industry onto the world stage. In this long journey, “Social Responsibility Investment” (SRI) has indeed injected great vitality, contributing to Taiwan’s remarkable economic miracle.

In the Lunar New Year of 2007, while engaging in spiritual reflection on Dadu Mountain, I heard a transcendence’s voice deep within my heart: "Go find a headshot of your grandfather, Kuo Biao!" I immediately drove south and after some effort, found the designated photo. Meanwhile, I learned that A-Jin and a small group had left my grandfather’s body exposed in the wilderness and refused to allow others to handle it. I took the initiative to move my grandfather’s remains to Fugui Nanshan Columbarium to be with my grandmother and father. During this process, the story of the richest man in Tainan, Kuo Biao, who became Tainan’s biggest looser, unfolded in my mind like a movie. I finally understood the "Heavenly Father" my grandmother believed in, and I realized that He had been watching over my safety all along. Otherwise, given the brutal methods of A-Jin and her cronies, it would have been very difficult to escape their plots and schemes—and I might not have survived past 2004.

With the immense benefits brought by innovative industries, we are not facing fierce competition in international markets but are gradually revealing deep-rooted problems in our social structure, economic models, and political systems. At the APEC CEO Summit, our experiences were referred to as "Non-Economic Factors of Interference," which cost us 20 years. We had created a long list of inventions through our own efforts and self-fund just in 11 years, and it took another 6 years for these to become internationally recognized policies and legislation at APEC.

Although we explicitly stated at the beginning that social responsibility investment (SRI) was meant to fulfill a mission—to "create innovative industry and solve unemployment"—we have come to realize through our past experiences that the cost of our SRI efforts has been very high. In particular, intellectual property infringement issues and organized criminal activities by corrupt cartels have remained unavoidable problems. Beyond the island's corrupt groups, international companies such as Disney and VISA greatly improved their marketing situations by using our inventions. The combined annual revenue of these two companies is USD 302.5 billion, and if we calculate intellectual property fees at 0.5-5%, this amounts to USD 1.5 to 15.1 billion. This intellectual property income could have been used to establish an “SRI Fund,” which would support the promotion of technical education system, significantly benefiting the positive development of future generations.

The future is an extension of the past. I am deeply grateful to the "Heavenly Father" who loves me and has blessed me with a remarkable life. After being in charge for just nine years, I founded “Cheng Kuang Precision Industrial Co., Ltd.” in 1974. In 1975, IBM engineers from the San Jose delegation came to Taiwan and discussed the future of the information technology industry with me at the house of Taiping Bridge. I developed some "Quick Disconnectors" as gifts, which were later used in IBM's 5550 personal computer in 1985—a process that took ten years. In 1986, we launched SRI and invented the “TranSmart Chip.” By 1997, we presented it at APEC, and winning “Steering the E-commerce” at APEC 1998. We then proposed the “ICT” (Information and Communication Technology) initiative at APEC 2000. Furthermore, we proposed the “Global Channel-TES” winning the best practice of addressing the needs of SME exporters at APEC 2003. The “Cashless System” based on TranSmart Chip gained widespread recognition. In 2006, I advocated for satellite support at APEC CEO Summit, which led to the universal adoption of TranSmart Chip as a tool. Nowadays, the world revolves around our inventions, and each breakthrough has required time and effort.

The future is filled with challenges, but also with hope. Looking ahead, we can be certain that the next generation will be defined by high performance, low power consumption, and low heat generation. From the development of electronics technology in the 1960s to today’s advances in artificial intelligence (AI), the pace of innovation is accelerating. We opened the doors to Taiwan’s electronics industry and, in turn, to the global electronic commerce industry. In the future, as we transition from the "Electronic" to the "Photon" age, we are confident that we will contribute our knowledge and experience. At the same time, we must advocate for the maintenance of fairness, justice, and ethics in the transformation of the international economic system.

Particularly, Taiwan, where we grew up, must reflect on and deconstruct the corrosive awareness of “corruption and drifting ideologies.” While ensuring sustainable material development, we must rebuild social ethics and cultural values, ensuring that humanity retains its leadership role in the face of technological advancements, driving a true renaissance of kingdom.

Peter Lichang Kuo, the author created Taiwan's Precision Industry in his early years. Peter was a representative of the APEC CEO Summit and an expert in the third sector. He advocated "anti-corruption (AC)/cashless/e-commerce (E-Com)/ICT/IPR/IIA-TES / Micro-Business (MB)…and etc." to win the international bills and regulations.