Fri, Nov 03, 2000 page12

• Technology task force should be abolished

  • By Huang Hsien-chou 黃顯洲
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  Despite criticism from Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) and other professionals, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) recently insisted that a new technology consultation task force (總統府科技諮詢委員會) be established. The Presidential Office quickly announced the 12 conveners of the task force and then established the group on Nov. 1.

  The new technology consultation task force -- besides being criticized by Lee and other professionals for being redundant -- has in fact seriously violated the current system of national science development.

  According to the Basic Law of Science and Technology (科學技術基本法) passed by the Legislative Yuan, the government must put in place a national scientific and technological development plan every four years to promote high-technology research and development.

  According to the law, the National Science Council (NSC, 國家科學委員會) -- which consists of government officials, the head of Academia Sinica and noted scientists -- is the highest government organ responsible for promoting and planning Taiwan's overall scientific and technological development.

  The NSC's development plan must be discussed and reviewed by a national science and technology conference (全國科學技術會議) before it can be officially approved by the Executive Yuan.

  After following the above procedure, Taiwan's first official "Science and Technology White Paper" (科技白皮書) was issued in 1997 by the Executive Yuan, in the wake of the fifth national science and technology conference which had been held the year before.

  Ironically, according to Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), who is also the convener of the new advisory group, the major tasks of her group include: setting national science policies, coordinating national scientific resources, reviewing national scientific and technological development plans, and recruiting experts in scientific fields. Thus, the duties of the new group obviously violate the Basic Law of Science and Technology and place the newcomer in serious conflict with the current system.

  Moreover, in addition to the NSC and the Academia Sinica, the Executive Yuan has already a "Science and Technology Advisory Group" (行政院科技顧問組) to serve as the government's advisory group. In fact, the duties of the old and the new advisory groups are for the most part duplicated.

  Then there is the problem of finding qualified people to serve on the new task force.

  Since the old advisory group had already hired Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (TSMC) chairman Morris Chang (張忠謀) and President of National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) Chang Chun-yen (張俊彥) as its advisors, the new advisory group chose to hire TSMC Vice President K.C. Chen (陳國慈) and NCTU Vice President Wei Che-ho (魏哲和) as its team members. Compared to the old group, the authority of the new one is questionable.

  Chen's stubborn insistence on establishing the new advisory group also makes us suspect that its purpose is simply to endorse his science policies.

  To be the leader of a nation, a strong will is indeed necessary. More important, however, is to have the courage to pull back from bad decisions or policies before it is too late.

  Establishing the new technology consultation task force was a bad decision. Chen may lose face if he chooses to abolish the new advisory group immediately. His courage, however, will earn him more respect in the long run.

  Huang Hsien-Chou is a KMT legislator and the convener of the Sci-Tech and Information Committee at the Legislative Yuan.

  Translated by Eddy Chang
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