Taiwan science parks post record operation results in 2017
2018/03/31
Taiwan’s three science parks posted combined record revenues of NT$2.46 trillion (US$84.4 billion) in 2017, up 3.58 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology March 27.
Hsinchu Science Park in northern Taiwan led the way with NT$1.02 trillion in total revenues. Although down 1.98 percent from the year before, this drop was offset by a 5.93 percent increase at Southern Taiwan Science Park in Kaohsiung and Tainan cities to a best-ever NT$878.76 billion. Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung City gained 11.13 percent to NT$563.83 billion.
The integrated circuit sector remained the top revenue generator for the parks, with figures rising 3.45 percent year on year to NT$1.63 trillion, or 66.1 percent of the overall total. Precision machinery and telecommunication devices recorded the highest annual growth rates, surging 14.74 percent and 10.56 percent to NT$112.26 billion and NT$42.04 billion, respectively.
According to the MOST, the strong performance of the parks is due to heightened demand for advanced mobile communication, semiconductor and telecoms equipment, as well as display panels, new pharmaceuticals and processors for personal computers, smartphones and telecommunication devices.
The parks also reported record exports of NT$1.73 trillion during the period, up 14.22 percent, while imports totaled NT$795.88 billion, an annual decline of 3.49 percent.
As a result of increased business activity and a series of job promotion initiatives, the parks reported an all-time high combined workforce of 272,294, up 1.2 percent from the previous year.
With economic conditions continuing to stabilize at home and abroad, as well as additional opportunities stemming from new applications in artificial intelligence, biometrics, high-performance computing and Internet of Things, the MOST said it expects revenues at the parks to gather more steam in 2018.
Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=6&post=131904)
