Premier Chen Chien-jen on Tuesday received a U.S. delegation visiting Taiwan to participate in the inaugural U.S.-Taiwan Science and Technology Cooperation Dialogue (STC-D). The premier noted that the STC-D follows the signing of a Science and Technology Agreement (STA) by both nations in December 2020, and this first meeting included scientists and experts from the U.S. Department of State and several U.S. government agencies. The premier said the STC-D is a pioneering step in Taiwan-U.S. scientific collaboration, and further demonstrates U.S. recognition and regard for Taiwan's strengths in science and technology.
Taiwan and the U.S. are cooperating across a wide range of fields in science and technology, including earth and environmental sciences, space and satellite technology, information and communications technology, cybersecurity, biomedicine, public health and talent exchanges. The premier said these numerous large-scale cooperation projects not only promote science and technology development and public welfare—their influence and contributions are also benefiting the entire world. He expressed confidence that Taiwan's strong dominance in semiconductors and information and communications industries will help enable more scientific and technological innovation, and he hopes that mechanisms for more comprehensive and cross-disciplinary scientific cooperation will be created through the framework of the STA and the STC-D.
In his remarks, Jason Donovan, acting deputy assistant secretary of state of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, said that over the last two days of its visit to Taiwan, the delegation has focused on our shared values of democracy, transparency and human rights, and committed to a mutually beneficial partnership that increases Taiwan's space for international science and technology cooperation.
The U.S. is eager to solve problems together with Taiwan, he said, ranging from climate change to pandemic diseases, and is very keen to increase collaboration in the future based upon existing longstanding relationships between our respective agencies. The U.S. is clear-eyed about global strategic competition and the importance of collaborating together to present a compelling vision of how to use science and technology for the good of our people, so as to prevail in that competition.