Cabinet green-lights smart machinery initiative

2016/07/26

Taiwan is aiming to develop into a global manufacturing hub for intelligent machinery and high-end equipment, Premier Lin Chuan said July 21 at a Cabinet meeting.

Tung Chen-yuan, spokesman of the Executive Yuan, said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting that Lin emphasized the Intelligent Machinery Program is one of President Tsai Ing-wen’s five major industrial development objectives. Lin directed relevant ministries and agencies to work closely with local governments on integrating research organizations and academia with the industry and devising measures to help industry members create brand names and reach global markets, Tung said.

Deputy Economics Minister Shen Jong-chin said during the press conference that the government’s strategy is to take advantage of the strength of the machinery industry in central Taiwan’s Taichung City, as well as the counties of Changhua, Yunlin and Chiayi, and to transform the sector’s focus from precision machinery to intelligent machinery. Local high-tech firms will increase their use of technologies such as cloud computing, big data and intelligent robotics to help make this vision a reality, he said.

The Tsai administration will help businesses develop key mechanical components, Shen said, adding that the local intelligent machinery industry is expected to grow 2 percent by 2019 and more than 5 percent by 2023. The industry has grown 2.4 percent on average over the past decade.

Moreover, the Ministry of Economic Affairs will expand collaborations with Europe, Japan and the U.S. to import advanced technologies and help industry members team up with global players.

Bolstering the intelligent machinery industry is just one part of the president’s five major industrial development objectives. The other industries targeted for promotion by the administration are biotech and pharmaceuticals, national defense, and green technology, in addition to the Asian Silicon Valley initiative.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=246480&ctNode=2194&mp=9)