Today marks a significant milestone for Amazon Web Services (AWS) as they unveil the AWS Asia Pacific (Taipei) Region, now fully operational with three Availability Zones and designated as region code ap-east-2. This new development in Taiwan is a pivotal extension of AWS’s global network, bringing their robust infrastructure and services closer to customers in the region.
As the first AWS infrastructure region in Taipei and the fifteenth in the Asia Pacific, this addition extends AWS’s reach to 117 Availability Zones across 37 regions worldwide. The establishment of this region aims to empower developers, startups, and enterprises in Taiwan by enabling them to run applications and serve their end-users while ensuring data residency within the country.
AWS’s Journey in Taiwan
AWS’s presence in Taiwan dates back over a decade, beginning with the opening of their Taipei office in 2014. Over the years, AWS has consistently expanded its offerings in Taiwan, introducing various infrastructure services:
- Amazon CloudFront: Launched in 2014, AWS introduced its first CloudFront edge location in Taiwan, followed by another in 2018. This provided a secure and efficient content delivery network, enhancing the speed and reliability of data, video, application, and API delivery across the globe.
- AWS Direct Connect: Established in 2018, AWS set up two Direct Connect locations in Taiwan, improving connectivity options. The new Taipei Region has added another Direct Connect location, offering higher speed and bandwidth to customers.
- AWS Outposts: In 2020, AWS introduced Outposts in Taiwan, allowing customers to seamlessly extend AWS infrastructure and services to their on-premises or edge locations for a consistent hybrid experience.
- AWS Local Zones: In 2022, AWS launched a Local Zone in Taipei to support applications requiring low-latency and single-digit millisecond responsiveness.
The inauguration of the AWS Asia Pacific (Taipei) Region reaffirms AWS’s commitment to supporting innovation in Taiwan. Organizations in regulated sectors can now store data locally while maintaining full control over data location and movement. This development is especially beneficial for high-tech manufacturing, semiconductor companies, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seeking scalable infrastructure for growth and innovation.
AWS Customers in Taiwan
Various organizations across Taiwan are leveraging AWS to drive innovation and deliver unique experiences to their customers:
- Cathay Financial Holdings (CFH): As a leader in Taiwan’s financial technology sector, CFH has harnessed AWS’s cloud environment since 2021 to enhance security and compliance. The launch of the AWS Region in Taiwan is expected to diversify and improve CFH’s financial services offering, according to Marcus Yao, senior executive vice president of CFH.
- Gamania Group: This entertainment pioneer is innovating by integrating AI with celebrity IP through their Vyin AI platform. AWS’s robust infrastructure supports the development of secure and responsive AI interactions. Benjamin Chen, chief strategy officer of Gamania, highlights the importance of AWS’s stable cloud environment in enhancing user experiences and accelerating product innovation.
- Chunghwa Telecom: A leader in Taiwan’s cloud network services, Chunghwa Telecom utilizes AWS to build intelligent applications using platforms like Amazon Bedrock. Dr. Rong-Shy Lin, president of Chunghwa Telecom, emphasizes the importance of AWS’s low latency and local data storage in advancing digital transformation and AI adoption.
AWS Partners in Taiwan
The AWS Partner Network plays a crucial role in helping customers in Taiwan adopt cloud technologies and maximize the benefits of the new AWS Taipei Region. These partners combine technical expertise with local market knowledge to accelerate digital transformation:
- eCloudvalley Digital Technology Group: An AWS Premier Tier Services Partner, eCloudvalley boasts a team of cloud experts with over 600 certifications. MP Tsai, chairman of eCloudvalley, highlights the importance of AWS’s cloud technology in supporting digital transformation across Taiwan’s industries.
- Nextlink Technology Inc.: As an AWS Premier Consulting Partner and certified Managed Service Provider, Nextlink is poised to help enterprises across industries leverage the new AWS Taipei Region for data localization, low latency, compliance, and high-performance computing workloads.
- SAP: A strategic partner of AWS for over a decade, SAP assists enterprises worldwide in running their workloads on AWS. George Chen, SAP’s global vice president, notes the enhanced operational flexibility and reduced latency provided by AWS’s new data centers in Taiwan.
Supporting Sustainable Innovation
AWS is committed to promoting sustainable innovation in Taiwan as the country aims for net-zero emissions by 2050. The AWS Asia Pacific (Taipei) Region aligns with AWS’s sustainability goals, enabling organizations to enhance operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.
- Ace Energy: A pioneer in Taiwan’s energy management sector, Ace Energy utilizes AWS services to provide innovative energy solutions, achieving significant energy savings and carbon emission reductions.
- Taiwan Power Company (Taipower): Since 2018, Taipower has revolutionized its operations with AWS by implementing smart grid technologies, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing customer experiences.
Building Cloud Skills
AWS has invested in developing cloud education and skills in Taiwan since 2014. Programs like AWS Academy, AWS Educate, and AWS Skill Builder have trained over 200,000 individuals in cloud skills, laying the foundation for Taiwan’s digital future.
The vibrant AWS community in Taiwan offers ample opportunities for knowledge-sharing and networking. Local AWS User Groups, AWS Heroes, and Community Builders provide valuable resources for accelerating cloud journeys through collaborative learning.
Conclusion
The AWS Asia Pacific (Taipei) Region is prepared to support businesses in Taiwan. Detailed information on the services available in this region can be found on the AWS Services by Region page. For updates on AWS Region openings, check out the Regional news section of the AWS News Blog.
For more information, visit the AWS official website at AWS Asia Pacific (Taipei) Region. Start building on the Asia Pacific (Taipei) Region today.
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