Dr. Chang San-cheng, Vice Premier of the Republic of China, will lead a delegation of government officials and high-tech industry executives to San Francisco, United States, from January 10 to 12, 2016. During this trip, Vice Premier Chang will attend the Taiwan Silicon Valley Investment Symposium, inspect the Taiwan Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC), meet with Taiwan startups, visit Stanford University, and exchange views with venture capitalists and local political leaders.
In order to foster Taiwan's youth entrepreneurship and strengthen talent, technology, and capital links between Taiwan and Silicon Valley, the National Development Fund has launched the Taiwan Silicon Valley Technology Fund Investment Program, and established the US$300 million Taiwan Silicon Valley Tech Fund in coordination with the National Science and Technology Development Fund and private capital. The purpose of this fund is to establish a long-term partnership between Taiwan and Silicon Valley by financing startups in both places.
Meanwhile, the establishment of the TIEC in June 2015 made Taiwan the first Asian country, and the ninth worldwide, to open a government-sponsored innovation office in Silicon Valley. TIEC serves as a platform for Taiwan startups to enter Silicon Valley, facilitates high-tech and innovation exchanges, and plays an extremely important role in deepening economic and trade cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S.
Vice Premier Chang will aim to gain a better understanding of the results achieved in the government's endeavors to strengthen ties with Silicon Valley, and assist Taiwan companies in expanding investment opportunities, so as to boost Taiwan-U.S. relations in the fields of venture capital and innovation.