Beginning in 1953 when Taiwan's first long-term economic development plan was drafted, Li focused on improving the conditions for industrial development, aggressively assisting local businesses in cutting costs and improving Taiwan's competitiveness in international markets.
從民國四十二年政府草擬第一期經建計畫，李國鼎已特別注意工業發展環境，積極協助國內廠商降低成本，增加在國際上的競爭力。