USD 10 Trillion

Written by Peter Li-Chang Kuo

Former President Lee Teng-Hui learned that, at the invitation of U.S. President Barack Obama, we had participated in the 2009 Singapore APEC CEO Summit, contributing an instrumental solution "IIA-TES" (Invest in America & apply a New Tech-Economic System) for “Rebuilding the Global Economy.” He therefore invited us for an in-depth discussion at Tsui Shan Villa on February 16, 2010.

After Linda Din (Ding Ling-Hong), the inventor of TES, briefed him, President Lee responded:“This TES system is a major financial and technological revolution. It will generate an economic scale of USD 10 trillion for Taiwan!”

Fig 1: Linda Din briefing former President Lee on “IIA-TES”

As President Lee flipped through my gifted book, "Open the Way for Next Generation," he happily turned to former Control Yuan member Lin Chiang-Tsai and said: “Mr. Lin, this is exactly the kind of ‘intelligent industry’ Taiwan needs—an industry in which all participants benefit.”

He then asked: “Your TES has been recognized as an APEC Best Practice. What is the government’s attitude?”

Fig 2: The book "Open the Way for Next Generation"

After hearing our reply, he shook his head and said:

“I really don’t know what these young people in power are thinking. What’s wrong with ‘A Rich Taiwan Plan’?”

He then personally recommended Linda for the "Leadership Development Program," took our hands in prayer, and asked God to bless Taiwan.

Fig 3: Linda Din promoting the “Rich Taiwan Plan”

Linda said, “We are social entrepreneurs — we understand technology and economics, not politics.”

President Lee immediately responded: “Everything you do benefits the public — that is called the 'public good.' Your inventions helped countries devastated by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, and now help rebuild the global economy after the financial tsunami. Matters that concern everyone—that is 'politics!'”

As a result, Linda had the opportunity to receive President Lee’s guidance and complete the thesis "Lee Teng-Hui’s Christian Faith and Its Democratic Practice."

Japanese friends later remarked: “Because Japan did not have a Lee Teng-Hui and failed to handle the 1997 financial crisis properly, it collapsed.” They wished to understand Lee Teng-Hui better, so the thesis was compiled into a book and presented to them.

Fig 4: Linda Din’s research on "Lee Teng-Hui"

President Lee recounted that in 1989, Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke sent representatives to invite partners to jointly establish APEC. South Korea, representing the PRC, immediately moved to block the effort, which is why Hong Kong and mainland China were brought in to join APEC in 1991 — whereas Prime Minister Hawke had originally intended to invite only top economic performers.

In February 1994, President Lee visited Indonesia, where President Suharto personally invited him to attend the APEC Leaders’ Meeting.

Because TES is a "multilateral trading system" — precisely the kind valued by U.S. President Bill Clinton, who that year released email for civilian use — it was highly regarded. Unfortunately, on March 31, 1994, the PRC employed an extraordinary tactic — the "Qiandao Lake Incident" — which forced President Lee to be unable to attend the APEC Leaders’ Meeting. He was therefore delighted that “non-government actors” like us accomplished what officials could not, calling us “the prophets of a Rich Taiwan.”

Later, I received notice that on Saturday, April 17, 2010, President Lee would personally teach a class at the Mangrove Leadership Development Program on the topic of “Faith.” He wished to further understand the substance of the “USD 10 trillion economic scale.”

Accordingly, I prepared a one-page handout (A4, divided into four pages) to explain to the President the “Ten Advanced Products & Their Outputs” as following:

Moreover, the most importantly, we must develop “special tool steel” (mold steel). When Chiang Ching-Kuo first became Premier, he ordered steelmakers not to manufacture or sell mold steel —the so-called “Steel Prohibition Order” — which severed Taiwan’s industrial lineage in this field. Although the output value of mold steel is only tens of billions of U.S. dollars, it is crucial to ensuring "Taiwan’s self-reliance" in robotics, dual-use vehicles, and the defense industry.

The "Ten Advanced Products and Their Outputs" are detailed below:

Item 1: IPR (Intellectual Property Rights & Royalties) — USD 180 Billion

IPR, or Intellectual Property Rights, was one of our early initiatives at APEC and was finally incorporated into the Leaders’ Declaration at the 2001 Shanghai APEC, known as the “Shanghai IPR Charter.”

IPR refers to the legal protection of creative outputs. By safeguarding creators’ rights — allowing them to control the use and distribution of their works—it prevents unauthorized copying and distribution, protects creators’ economic interests and reputation, and enables our nation to lead mainstream technological societies, thereby extending national power.

Intellectual property contributes to economic growth by ensuring fair market competition. Through protecting patents, trademarks, and copyrights, businesses can defend their market positions and prevent unfair competition. Protecting technological and cultural creations promotes technological advancement and cultural prosperity, benefiting not only creators but society at large through new technologies and cultural works.

IPR also plays a vital role in international trade; many trade agreements include IPR protection clauses to ensure fair competition and the safeguarding of intellectual assets worldwide. In sum, intellectual property is essential to the economic and cultural development of creators, enterprises, and society as a whole.

Since Linda Din invented the "TES" system in 1986, we have held over 100 briefings, promoting its benefits globally through written materials — later compiled into the book "A Daughter of A National Defense Employee" and physical demonstrations — creating what would become the highest-value industry of the 21st century and guiding the development of mainstream global technology societies.

During the COVID-19 pandemic alone, the annual transaction volume of TES’s cashless system reached “USD 36 trillion.” Clearly, the valuation of IPR under this item has been significantly underestimated.

Fig 5: The Book-- "A Daughter of A National Defense Employee"

Item 2: VAM (Vending Automation & Virtual Asset Management) — USD 1.2 Trillion

In 1986, to realize the “Rich Taiwan Plan,” Linda Din invented the New Tech-Economic System (TES) — "The Electronic Store System" (The eStore System). Her first idea was to upgrade the 20 million existing vending machines worldwide into intelligent vending machines that transact using "contactless TranSmart chip cards," abbreviated as "VAM" (Vending Automation Manager).

VAM was designed to demonstrate the "cashless system" and enable virtual asset management. When Linda brought the R&D result to the 1997 APEC meeting in Vancouver, friends from the U.S. and Canada strongly encouraged her to apply for patents. This led to the U.S. invention patent "US6304796B1," which later became a widely cited “system-level” invention patent, helping many near-failed enterprises rise again like a phoenix from the ashes.

Fig 6: The physical VAM invented by Linda Din

Once the VAM concept was realized, visitors arrived in a steady stream, almost like pilgrims. One of them was Huang Derrui, Director-General of the Hsinchu Science Park Administration. VAM primarily enabled the commercialization of cashless systems.

Fig 7: Director-General Huang Derrui visiting the VAM system

For example, if one imagines VAM applied to taxis, transactions conducted via contactless smart chip cards would eliminate the tragic robberies of taxi drivers. Through VAM, Taiwan could establish a “Global Channel,” enabling traditional industries to transcend spatial constraints, reach customers everywhere, and position Taiwan as a central hub in the Ocean Century.

In terms of virtual asset management, VAM pioneered the concept of virtual currencies. Its key activities and functions include:

1. Asset Custody: Ensuring the secure storage of virtual assets, preventing hacking, theft, and loss—typically through the use of cold wallets (offline storage) and hot wallets (online storage).

2. Investment Management: Portfolio allocation of virtual assets based on market analysis and investment strategies to achieve capital appreciation, including trading, risk management, and return optimization.

3. Compliance Management: Adhering to relevant laws and regulatory requirements, including KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti–Money Laundering) measures, to ensure legal and compliant operations.

4. Trade Execution: Buying and selling virtual assets across different exchanges and markets, ensuring efficiency and transparency.

5. Reporting and Analytics: Providing financial reports, performance analysis, and market intelligence on virtual assets to support informed decision-making.

6. Technical Support: Leveraging blockchain technology, smart contracts, and other advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and security.

Virtual asset management occupies a critical position in financial technology. As the digital economy continues to expand, its importance and influence will only continue to grow.

Item 3: eStore (Integrated Physical–Virtual Electronic Store) — USD 790 Billion

The eStore system is the core of modern phygital retail, integrating AI, VAM, and contactless payments to create a revolutionary model in which “people can work from home and earn income from the global market.”

Core advantages include:

1. 24/7 operations, breaking the time and space limitations of traditional retail, with global market penetration projected to reach 21% by 2026.

2. Low operating costs combined with intelligent personalized recommendations, enhancing user experience, significantly reducing return rates, and optimizing inventory.

3. A broad product selection enhanced by VR-based virtual try-on, delivering immersive experiences while saving customers’ time and reducing their carbon footprint.

In terms of economic and social impact, customer data analytics drive precision marketing, with promotional incentives amplifying sales. At APEC 2009, U.S. representatives called for “two million eStores”, advocating one store, one job opportunity — including roles for “non-technical labor” — thereby addressing unemployment while generating trillion-dollar business opportunities. When integrated with VAM, the scale of cashless transaction volumes becomes enormous.

When Linda Din served as a speaker (lecturer) at APEC 2003, ministers praised the concept, stating that “eStore will be the best guide for entrepreneurship for 240 million people.”

Strategic significance:

The eStore accelerates the digitalization and globalization of retail, empowers micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in marketing, and positions Taiwan to capture an estimated 20% of the U.S. market, potentially becoming one of the wealthiest nations.

The TES system begins with "eStore" and naturally differentiates into "virtual channels and physical channels," all connected through an ICT Control Center that links suppliers, logistics providers, and consumers into a highly efficient global transaction network. This demonstrates system-level institutional innovation and superior supply-chain efficiency, reinforcing the inclusive value of SRI (Social Responsibility Investment) and realizing a sustainable vision in which “everyone can start a business at home to earn money.”

Fig 8: Electronic Store System Architecture

Item 4: I/O (High-End Connects for 3C Products) — USD 300 Billion

In the 3C industries — computers, communications, and consumer electronics — “I/O” typically refers to input/output technologies, which determine how devices exchange data with the external world at minimal power consumption. In the AI era, hardware I/O is critical because it governs whether data can be transmitted efficiently and energy-efficiently from storage or external sources to computing cores, meeting the parallel demands of inference applications and ensuring stable operation of both data centers and edge devices.

I/O technologies play a pivotal role in the new technology economy, offering key benefits including:

1. Enhanced compatibility and interoperability among devices and systems (e.g., USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi).

2. Higher data transfer speeds and efficiency.

3. Improved user experience, through technologies such as touchscreens, voice recognition, and fingerprint authentication that enhance usability and security.

4. Support for innovative features, enabling capabilities such as AR and VR via high-performance cameras, sensors, and connectivity.

5. Device miniaturization and integration, exemplified by USB-C, which supports high-speed data, charging, and video output through a single interface.

6. Wireless and remote operation.

7. Greater system scalability to meet diverse usage needs.

8. Automation and intelligence, such as environmental sensing and automatic configuration, elevating product intelligence.

In summary, I/O technologies are indispensable within the new technology economic system. They not only enhance device functionality and performance, but also drive technological innovation and advancements in user experience.

Item 5: TranSmart Chip (Contactless Transceiving Induction Chip) — USD 300 Billion

The TranSmart Chip — a contactless transmission smart chip — including technologies such as RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) and NFC (Near Field Communication), enables substantial business opportunities across multiple domains:

1. Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Used for cargo tracking, inventory management, and anti-counterfeiting, significantly improving logistics efficiency and transparency.

2. Smart Retail: Enables cashier-less stores, automated checkout systems, and intelligent shelf management, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.

3. Payment Systems: Cashless-enabled mobile payments and e-wallets provide convenient payment options and accelerate the growth of financial technology.

4. Smart Homes: In home automation, contactless sensing supports device control, access management, and environmental awareness, increasing convenience and quality of life.

5. Healthcare: Applied to patient identification, medical equipment tracking, and medication management, contactless chips enhance safety and accuracy.

6. Intelligent Transportation: Used in vehicle identification, electronic toll collection, and traffic management, these edge-computing technologies improve traffic flow and tolling efficiency.

7. Consumer Electronics: Enable product authentication, personalized settings, and interactive features, increasing product value and improving user experience.

These opportunities demonstrate the broad application potential of contactless induction chips across industries, providing extensive room for innovation and growth.

Item 6: Power Chip (Active Power Management Chip) — USD 880 Billion

The “Power Chip” serves as an autonomous power source for future industries—including "VAM & eStore" systems, intelligent vehicles, embedded AI, unmanned systems, as well as deep-sea and extreme-environment applications. It is not merely an energy management component, but the “heart” that drives the entire intelligent world — a thin, stable, and sustainable source of autonomous power.

Fig 9: Application Scope of Power Chips

The core value of the Power Chip lies first in the simultaneous leap in "computing performance and energy efficiency." Through high-density power management and real-time power distribution mechanisms, it effectively reduces system heat generation and cooling requirements, significantly enhancing overall stability and reliability. This establishes a solid foundation for high-efficiency intelligent computing and long-duration operation. Secondly, it enables mobile intelligent sensing systems and unmanned vehicles to break free from the weight and lifespan constraints of conventional batteries, truly realizing “power available anytime, anywhere.”

At the materials and architectural level, the Power Chip acts as a catalytic core for technological innovation. With the adoption of wide-bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC), power chips can operate at higher frequencies and higher power levels while simultaneously "reducing size and improving efficiency." This supports the low-power, high-density evolution of next-generation technology-driven economic systems and data centers.

This vision is not speculative. As early as the 1980s, while developing intelligent robots, I found that mechanical structures were relatively easy to build, but the true bottleneck lay in the "power source." Existing batteries were not only bulky but also suffered from severe lifespan and maintenance issues. This led to the concept of a “power chip as thin as a postage stamp.” In the 1990s, during the “Rich Taiwan Seminar,” audiences were astonished when I took an LED lit up simply by being brought close to a postage-stamp-thin power chip. In essence, the Power Chip is not merely an evolution in energy technology—it represents a redefinition of human mobility, autonomy, and the scale of civilization itself.

Item 7: PCM-MG (Micro Power Plant) – USD 1.56 Trillion

PCM-MG (Power Chip Module's Micro-Generator), particularly systems that utilize renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, or high-efficiency technologies such as piezoelectric materials, convert mechanical energy into electrical power. These systems contribute to achieving the net-zero emissions goals of the Paris Agreement, while enhancing energy self-sufficiency and supporting low-power devices such as sensors and Internet-of-Things (IoT) equipment. They are especially suited to applications such as "polar eStore deployments and related vehicles," reducing reliance on batteries and external power supplies while improving overall energy efficiency.

The concept of micro power generators was incubated in the 1980s through the development of “Caring Technology.” Drawing on experience in precision manufacturing and automation, the goal was to develop assistive robots that would enable people with disabilities to walk again — freely and independently. This led to the development of the Power Chip, which was then connected in series and parallel to form modules capable of generating sufficient energy to drive assistive devices. Although early prototypes proved technically feasible, achieving the desired characteristics of extreme thinness, compactness, and long endurance revealed shortcomings that require substantial advanced R&D investment.

Once these critical limitations are overcome, however, humanity’s relationship with electricity will be fundamentally transformed. The sky, the oceans, the deep sea, and extreme environments will no longer define the boundaries of technology; nor will time and space continue to constrain the progress of civilization.

Item 8: H-Robot (Home Robot) — USD 1.25 Trillion

From 1966 to 1970, while caring for my grandmother—who suffered disabilities after her bound feet were forcibly broken by the police — I came to deeply understand the hardships faced by people with disabilities. Beginning in 1966, I personally built automated machines to manufacture precision products sold to U.S. electronics companies. Later, I vigorously promoted automation technologies for traditional industries, which led to the concept of home robots.

Fig 10: The author with the automated walking robot

The market for H-Robot (Home Robots) continues to expand, driven by several key factors:

1. Improved daily convenience.

2. Population aging: As global populations age, households increasingly require assistance and support. Home robots can help elderly individuals with daily activities and improve quality of life.

3. Safety and security: Through real-time monitoring and alert systems, home robots enhance household safety and provide emergency notifications.

According to data from Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior, the proportion of the population aged 65 and above continues to rise. This indicates that Taiwan has not only entered an aged society, but is rapidly moving toward a super-aged society (with over 20% of the population aged 65+).

Item 9: C-Phone (Card-Form Communicator) — USD 1.2 Trillion

The “C-Phone” is a next-generation Contactless Card-Form Communicator, with a thickness of approximately 1 millimeter. It is formed through the high-level integration of a “contactless TranSmart chip” (RFIC) and an ultra-thin power chip.

Fig 10: “C-Phone” (Contactless Card-Form Communicator)

Even at the prototype stage, it enables short-range communication. Once connected to physical “VAM & eStore” systems, its communication capability is no longer limited by the device itself; instead, it is infinitely extended through system nodes, creating a new mobile communication architecture defined by “form-factor embodiment with system-level infinity.”

Through its extreme thinness, C-Phone realizes truly portable, always-on communication, free from the bulk, interfaces, and high power consumption of traditional smartphones. It is particularly suited for high-mobility, high-security, and high-reliability scenarios, such as international business professionals, specialized service providers, and users who frequently access restricted or sensitive environments.

Its card-form design not only establishes a product category distinct from existing mobile devices, but also creates a highly recognizable design language, precisely targeting users who value technological minimalism, aesthetic differentiation, and status signaling.

From a functional strategy perspective, C-Phone offers flexible positioning — from a minimalist communicator to a system-level node. On one hand, it can function as a streamlined device focused on voice and basic communication, significantly lowering the learning barrier and making it ideal for seniors and users who are uncomfortable with complex technology. On the other hand, it can be upgraded into a secure gateway linking “VAM & eStore,” financial services, and digital identity systems, becoming a critical interface within distributed commerce, identity authentication, and trust mechanisms.

At the same time, C-Phone itself serves as a showcase of advanced system integration. Its ultra-thin display technology, micro-scale power management, and highly integrated “RFIC” (TranSmart chip) architecture demonstrate leadership in materials science, energy miniaturization, and communication integration.

For premium and luxury brands, C-Phone can be offered as a limited or exclusive edition platform, integrating financial services, membership privileges, access rights, and concierge services—opening a new card-based mobile communication market that fuses technology, identity, and brand value.

Item 10: F-Car (All-Terrain Mobility Vehicle) — USD 2.85 Trillion

The F-Car is an all-terrain mobility vehicle designed to boost efficiency, enable emergency response, and shape market leadership, offering immense development potential. The letter “F” embodies multiple dimensions of innovation:

1. Flying — enabling aerial mobility;

2. Fusion — integrating land, air, and sea technologies for seamless cross-domain operations;

3. Flexible — highly adaptable to national defense, disaster relief, and deep-sea development;

4. Futuristic — heralding a multidimensional (three-dimensional) transportation revolution;

5. Formidable — delivering decisive strategic advantages on the battlefield and in rescue missions;

6. Frontier — pushing human limits, such as deep-sea resource exploration.

Beginning as a land–air dual-use vehicle, F-Car has the potential to fundamentally transform the global transportation and security landscape. Its core advantage lies in seamless transitions between ground and air, providing unprecedented mobility and efficiency.

In defense applications, F-Car enables rapid troop deployment, reconnaissance, and precision strikes, surpassing the constraints of conventional vehicles and becoming a critical asset in modern warfare.

In disaster-relief scenarios, it can penetrate directly into the heart of affected areas, delivering medical supplies and personnel with far greater speed and effectiveness than helicopters or ground vehicles hampered by transfer delays.

With further evolution into a land–sea–air multi-terrain platform, F-Car’s exceptional mobility extends across the ocean surface and into deep-sea operations, creating unmatched strategic superiority through true domain integration. Defense applications would include covert reconnaissance, rapid assault, and deep-sea missions, positioning F-Car as a dominant force on future battlefields. In disaster response, it could reach inland flood zones, coastal storm areas, and deep-sea shipwrecks, delivering rescue operations efficiently and decisively.

Beyond defense and rescue, F-Car opens a new era of deep-sea resource development, capable of diving to depths of thousands of meters to explore rare minerals, energy reserves, and biological resources. This capability would propel the blue economy to new heights and help realize Taiwan’s vision of becoming “the center of the Maritime Century.”

Fig 11:

Taiwan

is the center of the Maritime Century

F-Car not only overcomes infrastructure bottlenecks and enhances everyday efficiency, but also positions Taiwan to help “define new cross-domain rules” — including airspace and maritime governance, safety standards, and international conventions — reshaping the global landscape of defense, environmental protection, emergency response, and trade. Whether for luxury travel, logistics, or scientific research, F-Car signals the arrival of a multidimensional transportation era and unlocks vast commercial opportunities.

Conclusion

Taken together, the journey and vision behind the “Ten Advanced Products and Their USD 10 Trillion Opportunities” are not merely a list of numbers, but a system-level blueprint for building Taiwan into "a nation of intellectual industries.”

TES and IIA-TES represent a tool-based economic system that connects intellectual property rights, virtual asset management, eStores, advanced chips, micro power plants, home robots, and all-terrain mobility vehicles into a complete and coherent ecosystem. When former President Lee Teng-Hui described this as a “major financial and technological revolution,” he pinpointed the core truth: future national competitiveness will not rest on a single industry, but on the ability to establish platforms and rules that enable universal participation and shared prosperity.

Realizing the “USD 10 trillion potential” depends not only on technological invention, but on the reconstruction of special tool steel, precision manufacturing, and vocational education — restoring the industrial lineage interrupted by the “Steel Prohibition Order.” This would allow Taiwan to reclaim leadership in advanced manufacturing and strategic sectors such as defense, robotics, and dual-use vehicles.

By applying technology-driven economic systems (TES) to serve the welfare of the majority, and by leveraging a multilateral trading system rooted in APEC experience, the third sector innovation can fill the gaps left by hesitant government decision-making.

If these principles are genuinely implemented in next-generation policies and industrial strategies, Taiwan has every condition necessary to transform the “USD 10 trillion opportunity” from a prophecy into a verifiable national achievement. Former President Lee’s vision of a “Rich Taiwan,” and his insight that “the public good is politics,” already point the way forward. As he smiled in closing, he said:

“With prophets of a ‘Rich Taiwan’ like you, I have no fear that Taiwan will be unloved after I am gone.”

Peter Li-Chang 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.