Optoelectronics focus for new Taiwan science park
Optoelectronics manufacturing will be a key focus of a new science park in central Taiwan where construction began today.
At a ceremony to mark the start of building work on the park in Yunlin County, Taiwan premier Yu Shyi-kun said that the government s aim was for optoelectronics to become Taiwan s second "trillion star" industry after silicon semiconductor manufacture.
In 2004, the production value of Taiwan s semiconductor manufacturing industry exceeded NT$1 trillion ($31 billion), according to China s government information office.
"Once the development of the optoelectronics manufacturing industry is in full swing, prospectively in three to four years, Taiwan may turn itself into a key [global] player, with production even surpassing that of Japan," Yu was reported as saying.
Two optoelectronics companies are said to have already registered to move into the Yunlin site of the Central Taiwan Science Park. Industrial operations at the 96-hectare site are expected to begin in 2006, with room for 10-15 manufacturing companies from the biotechnology, optoelectronics and communications sectors.
The Central Taiwan Science Park is the third such park to be established on the island, after the Hsinchu and Tainan industrial parks.
