In recent years, Taiwan’s aging population and declining birth rate have become serious concerns. According to the National Development Council’s “Population Projections for R.O.C. (Taiwan): 2020–2070,” Taiwan will have become a “super-aged society” in which 20% of the population are aged 65 years or older by 2025. To promote healthy aging and support age-friendly environments based on innovative and intelligent technology, the Health Promotion Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) actively competed for and was awarded APEC funds to hold the 2021 APEC Conference on Urbanization, Population Aging, and Technology Innovation on November 18 and 19. Pandemic-induced barriers to attendance are addressed through the use of network technologies. Official experts and scholars from Japan, Canada, Thailand, Singapore, and other countries are invited to share their experience. In addition, more than 200 professionals from domestic and foreign sectors of industry, government, and academia across 21 economies are invited to participate online and promote active exchange among Asia-Pacific economies.

Taiwan’s information and communication technology enjoys a stellar worldwide reputation. Moreover, the research, development, and application of smart health developed through close collaboration across the sectors of Taiwan’s industry, government, academia, and research in recent years have drawn international attention. During this 2-day online conference, with an opening address given by Chung-Liang Shih (Deputy Minister of the MOHW, R.O.C.), 13 internationally eminent scholars including Yoong Kang Zee (CEO of Singapore’s Health Promotion Board), Dr. John Beard (Advisory Council Chair of the Global Coalition on Aging and former Director of the Department of Ageing and Life Course of the World Health Organization), and Octavio Vergara (Director of the National Service for the Older People of Chile) as well as Taiwanese experts on smart health and innovative technology are invited as lecturers or moderators to discuss essential topics such as healthy aging, digital technology, precision health, and smart health care. Through themed lectures and discussions, they will share their perspective on and experience of age-friendly smart health care worldwide, supporting a new trend of active aging in the Asia-Pacific region.

Following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care faces new challenges and is undergoing reform. During the pandemic, the normal operation of numerous long-term care facilities and community bases was disrupted, indirectly affecting the physical and mental health of senior citizens. This conference is intended to encompass perspectives from various countries through exchange on diverse topics related to cross-border and cross-field experiences, thereby creating opportunities for cross-region collaboration. Methods for integrating and improving information and communications technology to overcome spatial–temporal constraints using innovative intelligent technology will be deliberated to promote healthy aging and age-friendly environments in the postpandemic era.