TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a major boost to Taiwan's digital infrastructure, Amazon has officially unveiled its Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure region in Taiwan, marking a pivotal expansion of the tech giant's global cloud computing network. The new facility, announced on Friday (June 6), enables local developers, startups, enterprises, and nonprofit organizations to run sophisticated applications directly from Taiwan-based AWS data centers without relying on overseas infrastructure. This strategic development represents Amazon's substantial commitment to the island's tech ecosystem through a planned investment exceeding US$5 billion (approximately NT$149.7 billion) over the coming years.
Prasad Kalyanaraman, Vice President of AWS Infrastructure Services, underscored the transformative potential of the new AWS Asia Pacific (Taipei) Region during the launch event. He explained that organizations across Taiwan's business spectrum can now harness AWS's comprehensive suite of cloud services while satisfying regulatory requirements for local data residency and storage. The executive particularly emphasized how Taiwan-based businesses and institutions throughout the broader Asia-Pacific region can now seamlessly connect to the same cloud infrastructure platform trusted by millions of global enterprises, benefiting from significantly reduced latency that promises to accelerate innovation cycles and enhance operational efficiencies across multiple sectors.
Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), head of Taiwan's executive branch of government, welcomed the investment as a validation of Taiwan's strategic importance in global technology networks. During official remarks, the Premier expressed appreciation for Amazon's substantial commitment to the island, interpreting the launch as international recognition of Taiwan's critical position within global supply chains. Cho further conveyed optimism about the deepening partnership between AWS and both Taiwan's public sector and private industry, articulating his vision for an enhanced digital ecosystem that would leverage Taiwan's established technological manufacturing prowess alongside AWS's cutting-edge cloud innovations.
The newly established infrastructure consists of three distinct availability zones strategically positioned across Taiwan, representing Amazon's standard approach to ensuring maximum reliability and operational resilience. Each zone functions as a separate data center cluster equipped with independent power sources, cooling systems, and comprehensive physical security measures, all interconnected through sophisticated redundant networks designed to deliver ultra-low-latency performance. This Taiwan expansion contributes to AWS's rapidly growing global footprint, which now encompasses 117 availability zones distributed across 37 geographic regions worldwide, reinforcing the company's position as the world's most extensive cloud infrastructure provider. ◼