To secure a position in new application fields such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Taiwan's semiconductor industry must team up with other industries, consolidate upstream and downstream manufacturers, and enhance international collaboration, Premier Mao Chi-kuo said today at the Cabinet's weekly meeting.
Premier Mao, who was briefed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) on measures for promoting Taiwan's semiconductor industry, directed the MOEA to steer the domestic supply chain toward overseas collaboration, vertical integration and systematic manufacturing. These development models will enable Taiwan to make deeper inroads into IoT-related innovation and platforms. The Executive Yuan's "Productivity 4.0" program for industrial transformation will also help upgrade the semiconductor and related sectors.
The semiconductor industry is the backbone and driving force of Taiwan's high-tech industries. To help it compete, the government has pledged to promote business deregulation, system design, research and development (R&D), innovative applications, and talent cultivation. Business and academic resources are also being integrated to build an environment conducive to the growth of emerging industries.
To meet growing demands for high-level semiconductor professionals, the government encourages industry-academia collaboration and makes joint investment with businesses. The goal is to cultivate, retain and recruit talent while bolstering Taiwan's R&D advantages.
To reinforce the semiconductor industry's global competitiveness, the MOEA promotes interdisciplinary integration, new applications and key technologies, and encourages collaboration on Taiwan-developed technologies among manufacturing, equipment and material sectors. In addition to upgrading the semiconductor industry through the Productivity 4.0 program, the MOEA is easing regulations on investments, mergers and acquisitions, and recruitment in order to retain professionals and attract overseas talent.
Concrete measures are being implemented through the MOEA's Smart Electronics Industry Promotion Program, which aims to move Taiwan's industries up the global value chain by improving the IoT promotion platform and investment environment, facilitating cross-industry integration, consolidating upstream and downstream suppliers, developing innovation bases at Nangang and the former Taiwan Air Force headquarters, and collaborating with foreign incubation centers.