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NSC forms rules for high-tech R&D

The National Science Council yesterday announced strict new controls on government-funded research projects that deal with sensitive technologies that could impact national security and the nation's competitiveness.

National Science Council Vice Chairman Huang Wen-hsiung (黃文雄) yesterday said that the council, the Council of Agriculture and the Ministry of Economic Affairs have specified a total of 126 scientific research topics in the academic, industrial and agricultural fields as "sensitive technologies" to be prohibited from being released to the public.

Those include aerospace technology, submarine systematic research, underwater communications technology, components for underwater sensing and detecting instruments, underwater sound research, oceanographic research, remote sensing and several semiconductor-related technologies.

All government-funded researchers in the designated areas must either receive official approval or notify related government agencies before they can make public their research results or apply for patent rights, he said.

The council has started signing security agreements with project leaders in those areas since early this year, Huang said. The agreements, however, are retroactive for some projects that have already been launched, he said.

IC design that uses etching technologies as advanced as 0.13 micron and others that could expose the level of Taiwan's military preparedness will also be classified as confidential, Weng Chung-tiao (翁聰標), another council official, said. The council will publish the details of the new rules in its security control manual later this month.

Unlawfully unveiling information about restricted projects without the government's knowledge could result in the elimination of government funding. Violators may also not be able to receive further funding from the government, Weng said.

Agreements have already been signed to monitor some 100 research projects, he said.

This is the first time that Taiwan has attempted to safeguard its technology and intellectual property.

This is also the first time that the government has integrated its national-security mechanism with public and private-sector research, Huang said.

China is only viewed as one of Taiwan's potential competitors in the technology sector, he said.

The measure stipulates that data and images from ROC SAT-2, which is scheduled to be launched next year, can't be made public without government approval, Weng said.

The 102 industrial technologies that are restricted from moving to China by the Ministry of Economic Affairs' investment commission are also included on the council's new security control list, the council said in its statement.
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