Taiwan CAR LAB

On April 27, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) hosted its first ever International Partners Southern Taiwan S&T Tour, led by Minister Tsung-Tsong Wu and participated by about 100 attendees including official envoys in Taiwan from 26 countries and representatives of eight chambers of commerce. The tour visited several prominent institutions in Tainan Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City and Southern Taiwan Science Park. Leading the tour, Minister Tsung-Tsong Wu hopes that the trip could increase the international visibility of Taiwan’s smart technology, advanced green technology and smart healthcare development, and thus to enhance tighter collaboration with global partners.

MOST currently has signed 119 agreements with 41 countries and 3 international organizations on bilateral or multilateral scientific and technological cooperation. The Ministry continues to identify Taiwan’s area of strength in scientific discovery and technological innovation to establish strategic partnerships with leading institutions and bodies around the world. One important milestone is the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation signed between Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) under the framework of the Taiwan-US Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue. It paves the way for MOST and the U.S. Department of State to jointly create prosperity and benefits for both sides.

Taiwan has been striving to become a smart country since 2016. In addition to the DIGI+: Digital Nation and Innovative Economic Development Program and the Five Plus Two Industry Innovation Plan. Furthermore, in 2021, the Executive Yuan launched six flagship projects on precision health, cyber security, satellites for 5G and beyond, semiconductors, industrial digital transformation, and cyber-infrastructure to promote the Six Core Strategic Industries mentioned in President Tsai’s inauguration speech in 2020. Through inter-ministerial and inter-disciplinary integration, the Ministry hopes to create a self-sustaining supply chain that is driven by demand to maintain Taiwan’s competitive advantages.

Under the Executive Yuan’s Great South, Great Development Policy, Southern Taiwan is transforming into the next R&D and innovation hub to drive the country’s science and technology supply chain forward. Through the Southern Science Park, the MOST will integrate the Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City and neighboring R&D institutions to form a new Southern Taiwan Technology Corridor. The MOST will dedicate in combining innovation, life, green and other elements to create semiconductors and 5G applications supply chains. Furthermore, the MOST is planning to attract green energy industries, cyber security and health industries into investment which can elevate southern Taiwanese industries and develop Southern Taiwan Technology Corridor. It will balance north-south development of Taiwan responding to the digital industrial transformation.

In southern Taiwan, Tainan and Kaohsiung stand an important status that integrate technology and humanities. During the tour, Mayor Wei-Che Huang of Tainan City and Deputy Mayor Ta-Sheng Lo of Kaohsiung City briefed the participants about the most current technological development and the Investment opportunities in their city. Visited institutions included Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City, MOST Cyber Security and Smart Technology R&D Building, Taiwan CAR Lab, Telecom Technology Building and iBiomed Flagship Hall of Southern Taiwan Science Park – Kaohsiung. Among the many innovation powerhouses, the overall output value of Southern Taiwan smart healthcare cluster has exceeded over NTD 10 billion for the first-time last year. 

Four companies, including EPED Inc., Lightmed Dental Technology Corporation, Toshin Precision Technology Co., Ltd, and InnoCare Optoeletronics Corporation, setup interactive exhibitions in the iBiomed Flagship Hall. Advanced technologies, such as cranial surgery navigation system, digitalized dental equipment and X-ray flat panel detector were demonstrated to showcase Taiwan’s innovative power and strong capability of sustainable S&T ecosystem.

According the Minister Wu, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Taiwan was not only a success story but also showed the world that “Taiwan Can Help!” The total output values of the three science parks had exceeded over NTD 3 trillion dollars last year. The unprecedented number is the result of Taiwan’s outstanding pandemic prevention where the country was able to leverage the global demands on 5G, AI, and semiconductor technologies. MOST will dedicate itself to making Taiwan an example of an innovative country, inclusive society and sustainable environment with all international partners in accordance the Vision 2030.

Source：MOST GASE