With the burgeoning development of global economy, various tasks have been derived from the management of energy, transportation, disaster prevention, environment, education, sanitation, public security and medical service. To cope with these challenges coming from rapid urbanisation, governments around the world have made every endeavour towards the development of smart cities in recent years.

For example, the number of ongoing and activated smart city projects has exceeded 1,000 on a worldwide scale, and is growing at an amazing 20% CAGR. It is estimated that about 600 - 800 smart city projects will be scheduled in China’s "12th 5-year National Plan", and a total of 103 cities have been included in “2013 National Smart City Project” promulgated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China. In other words, China will stimulate a further modernisation in rural areas and significantly boost its domestic markets.

According to Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute of III, the development of smart cities will become a trillion-dollar business; related purchasing orders from IT industry was to reach US$ 10.8 billion in 2013, and will grow at a 17% annual rate till 2015, which will amount to US$ 15 billion by then, focusing on major applications of a smart city such as transportation, housing, power grid and tourism.

As a result, TCA has combined the strength of industry leaders to organise the 2014 Smart City Expo, thus making the exhibition the most important platform for the development and exchange of smart cities both cross-strait and in Asia-Pacific regions.