R&D falls short of presidential target

Taiwan's overall spending on research and development (R&D) is not expected to reach 3 percent of GDP this year, and the target may not be reached until 2015, a National Science Council official said on Thursday.

Council Vice Chairman Yang Hung-tun (楊弘敦) made the remarks after a meeting of council commissioners during which the results of a nationwide survey of scientific and technological research and development last year was announced.

According to the survey, R&D spending amounted to NT$281 billion (US$8.65 billion) last year, marking a year-on-year increase of 6.7 percent, Yang said.

The amount was equivalent to 2.52 percent of GDP for last year, up marginally from 2.44 percent in 2004.

Judging from this trend, R&D spending will fall short of the 3 percent GDP target this year set by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Yang said.

The bulk of the R&D spending last year came from private enterprises, accounting for 66.9 percent of the total, with the government sector contributing 31.5 percent, the council said.

The remaining 1.6 percent was by higher education institutions, non-profit private organizations and foreign institutions.

According to the council, the government's R&D spending would still just amount to 0.9 percent of GDP in 2009 and only reach 1 percent in 2015.