Premier Jiang Yi-huah today directed ministries and agencies to plan forward-thinking strategies to support the 3D printing industry and implement them gradually in stages.
"The 3D printing industry is a high-value industry that can spur local employment, fulfilling the criteria of the government's industry policies," Jiang stressed.
The premier made these remarks after the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) reported on the development and promotion of the industry at the Cabinet's weekly meeting. Minister without Portfolio Tsai Yu-ling was asked to continue coordinating the efforts of related ministries.
The premier said he hopes Taiwan can not only develop core components, materials and independent software but also cultivate top-of-the-line creative industry talent for the 3D printing industry to establish a world-class large-scale computational graph database for creative designs, arts and cultures.
Under Minister Tsai's cross-ministry coordination of 3D printing promotion:
•The Ministry of Economic Affairs is supporting the industry as well as its related policies, key components and system development.
•The MOST is promoting innovative applications, key technologies, and software development.
•The Ministry of Education is universalizing relevant education and talent cultivation.
•The Ministry of Health and Welfare is drafting a regulatory system for 3D bioprinting for medical applications.
•The Ministry of Culture is nurturing talent for application of 3D printing to crafts and designs.
The MOST indicated Taiwan has many small and medium-sized enterprises spread out in clusters throughout the island, an industry structure that is suitable for developing 3D printing. The country has a competitive edge in both creating its own brands and providing customized manufacturing for international first-tier companies, as well. Also, Taiwan can tap into the field by exploring new technologies, creative designs or digitization of works of art. Once the industry gains a firm footing in Taiwan, it will create more jobs and expand markets, MOST officials predicted.