Taipei unveils pay.taipei system

MIDNIGHT BILLS: E-commerce will change Taiwan and the world, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je said, adding that such services should be managed and not prohibited

By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter





The Taipei City Government yesterday unveiled its mobile payment platform called pay.taipei.

The city’s Department of Information Technology has established the platform that can be used to pay utility bills and parking fees. Medical bills can also be paid through the service at Taipei City Hospital’s eight branches.

Speaking at a news conference yesterday morning, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said that Apple founder Steve Jobs might not have been aware how much the firm’s iPhones would affect everyday life.

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je speaks at a news conference for the pay.taipei platform yesterday in the city. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times

Pay.taipei integrates the city government’s various payment systems, Ko said, adding that the departments previously had to negotiate with different payment companies to manage the collection of parking, utility and medical fees.

“With the establishment of the new payment system, previous limitations on when and where bills could be paid will be overcome,” he said, adding that people will be able to make payments even at midnight.

Ko said electronic commerce and distribution is an economic trend that will change Taiwan and the world, adding that he hopes the nation can develop its e-commerce services as fast as China.

He will discuss e-commerce development when he attends the twin-city forum between Taipei and Shanghai next month, Ko said.

Services such as Uber, Airbnb and oBike should be managed, but not prohibited, because they are part of a global economic trend that cannot be stopped, Ko added.

The city government will foster the development of such platforms, he said.

“No matter the pace, the central government is moving forward; we [the city government] will not be dragged down,” he said, adding that there are many regulations that hinder development, but the city government will make efforts to develop e-commerce.