The first Taiwan-US Science and Technology Cooperation Dialogue meeting was held in Taipei on Monday, part of a process the two nations hope will deepen bilateral scientific and technological collaboration.
The meeting was the first high-level strategic dialogue between the two sides since the signing of a Science and Technology Agreement in December 2020, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said in a statement.
It focused on five topics: semiconductor research and applications, medical supply chain resilience, cancer research, environmental modeling and research, and research integrity in terms of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, the NSTC said.
The US delegation was led by Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Jason Donovan.
It included scientists and experts from the US’ National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Cancer Institute and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NSTC Minister Wu Tsung-Tsong (吳政忠) and American Institute in Taiwan Acting Director Jeremy Cornforth gave introductory speeches at the opening of the meeting.
Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and Jennifer R. Littlejohn, acting assistant secretary in the US Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs delivered remarks virtually.
The US delegation was yesterday scheduled to visit the Industrial Technology Research Institute, the National Center for High-performance Computing, and the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park (新竹生醫園區), the NSTC said.
In other news, the National Development Council on Monday approved a NT$43 billion (US$1.4 billion) plan to expand the Southern Taiwan Science Park (南部科學園區) to Kaohsiung’s Nanzih District (楠梓).
The Nanzih site would cover 175.3 hectares, including 29.83 hectares to be used for a new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) wafer plant, the council said.
The site, which used to house a naphtha cracker owned by state-owned oil refiner CPC Corp, Taiwan, would become a science park to meet demand for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, Southern Taiwan Science Park director-general Su Chen-kang (蘇振綱) said.
The site for TSMC’s new wafer plant would be incorporated into the Southern Taiwan Science Park this year, while the remaining 145 hectares would become part of the park after a second environmental impact assessment is completed by 2025, Su said.
Other manufacturers would be able to move into the Nanzih area by then, he said.
The aim is to have the Nanzih section of the park accommodate software and hardware companies, Su said.
The Southern Taiwan Science Park currently consists of the Tainan Science Park (臺南科學園區) and the Kaohsiung Science Park (高雄科學園區).
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