Central Taiwan Science Park steps up cooperation with Japan

2017/02/23

Central Taiwan Science Park and Japan’s Kyoto Research Park inked a memorandum of understanding Feb. 21 in Taichung City, paving the way for enhanced international cooperation between the two organizations in such areas as academia-industry partnerships, related sector development, technology R&D and two-way investment.

Under the pact, the parks will pursue joint opportunities in an array of value-added and innovative sectors. In addition, they will set the table for expanded exchanges between high-tech firms based in Taiwan and Japan, as well as assist those companies confirm the accuracy and reliability of market research for product prototypes.

Chen Ter-shing, vice minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said at the signing ceremony that the memorandum will enable CTSP to work with more foreign enterprises and connect them with compatible Taiwan firms. This will strengthen the park’s R&D capabilities while creating more production and trade opportunities for local businesses, he added.

According to Chen, science and technology know no borders and Taiwan must take every chance to gain experience from external sources.

Since its establishment in 2003 as a hub for high-tech industries in central Taiwan, CTSP has concluded 12 cooperation pacts with other parks in countries like Russia, South Korea, Spain, Vietnam, the U.K. and mainland China. By the end of last year, 189 companies, eight incubation centers and six R&D units were greenlighted by the government to commence operations in the facility.

Taiwan’s three science parks in Hsinchu, Taichung and Tainan are major drivers of the nation’s competitiveness and economic development. Combined revenues for the three facilities was NT$2.31 trillion (US$70.9 billion) in 2015, according to the latest MOST statistics. They coordinate public and private sector resources in bolstering Taiwan’s high-tech companies and augmenting synergies in key areas such as biotechnology, semiconductors, communications and precision machinery.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=6&post=111770)