Taiwan placed in the top position in a rating on the state of cluster development, part of various ratings assembled by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for its 2007 to 2008 global competitiveness report, Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) officials said yesterday.
Taiwan was given 5.7 points out of a possible 7 points in the category and was acclaimed as a global model in terms of cluster development for innovative industries.
CEPD officials said industrial clusters have served as an engine for Taiwan's development in terms of innovation and productivity, noting that the existing clusters include the high-tech sector and the traditional manufacturing sector, powered by unique local handicraft skills.
In Taipei, for example, the officials said there are industrial clusters in the fields of digital content and ceramic production, while clusters in the production of optical disks, automobiles and glass products can be found in Hsinchu.
In central Taiwan, there are industrial clusters of bicycles, precision machinery and musical instruments in Taichung, and clusters of sock-weaving and bicycle production in Changhua.
To sharpen Taiwan's industrial competitive edge in the global and Asian markets, efforts will be reinforced to form and upgrade clusters of local traditional industries to help boost local economic growth and create employment opportunities, the officials said.
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