During the five-year period beginning this year and extending to 2010, the government will invest NT$20 billion in industries that apply nanotechnology to daily life, it was decided in a science and technology meeting by the Executive Yuan on March 2.

This is the largest budget ever for the six strategic sci-tech industries that were designated by the Executive Yuan, reflecting the expectation that Taiwan will develop into a global nanotechnology R&D center.

The meeting was presided over by Premier Su Tseng-chang, the first such meeting after Su assumed the premiership. Sci-tech advisors attending the meeting included Lee Yuan-tseh, president of Academia Sinica; Morris Chang, chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.; Ke Cheng-en, president of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research; Chang Chun-yen, president of National Chiao Tung University; Chang Tze-wen, professor of National Tsinghuaa University; and Chen Ting-hsin, dean of the College of Medicine of National Taiwan University

During the meeting, Lee Yuan-tseh, however, reported that although nanotechnology has been designated as a strategic industry, nanotechnology cannot be commercialized in a short period of time. Therefore, emphasis should be put on basic R&D for the technology at the present time.

In order to demonstrate his emphasis on sci-tech industries, Premier Su will lead sci-tech, financial, and economic ministers to attend the opening ceremony of the annual Sci-Tech Advisory Meeting of the Executive Yuan on April 1, which will focus on the topics of "cultivation of sci-tech talent" and "construction of a next-generation network environment" this year.

Lin Feng-ching, minister without portfolio and deputy convener of the Sci-Tech Advisory Panel of the Executive Yuan, pointed out that the government will actively carry out the plan to encourage overseas sci-tech workers to return to Taiwan, and increase the annual quota for military recruits to do sci-tech work as a substitute for their compulsory military service to 10,000, up from 3,500 now.

Lin noted that sci-tech talent is critical for Taiwan's sci-tech core competence, and for mid- and long-term planning for the utilization of human resources. Lin suggested that the government should set its plans as far ahead as 2015.

Lin further reported that within five years, the government would appropriate NT$32 billion for the development of the six strategic daily-life sci-tech industries, including soft electronics, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), nanotechnology, intelligent robots, intelligent vehicles, and intelligent accommodation. The budget for this year will reach NT5.8 billion. It's estimated that by 2013, the manufacturing value of Taiwanese intelligent robots will hit NT$90 billion, and that of RFID will hit NT$70 billion.

Lin is happy to see the warm response from the private sector to the government's plan for the six strategic industries, such as the establishment of a body for the promotion of soft electronics industry, an office for the promotion of RFID, a joint nanotechnology laboratory, an association for the development of intelligent robots, a body for auto electronics industry, and a grip on the promotion of intelligent daily-life technology.

Source:CENS(2006/03/03 13:26:27)

URL: http://news.cens.com/php/getnews.php?file=/news/2006/03/03/20060303001.htm&daily=1