On Tuesday in the world-famous Juming Museum, Premier Yu Shyi-kun announced the Cabinet's NT$2.6 trillion six-year national-development project, whose prime objective is to enable Taiwan become a green silicon island in order to tackle the challenge of globalization and competition from China. The project focuses on reforming the current system, cultivating human talent and improving Taiwan's research and development (R&D) capabilities, innovation and competitiveness -- instead of large-scale construction projects such as building more power stations and large reservoirs that destroy Taiwan's watershed ecology. The project also rejects stupid plans to pursue building the world's tallest skyscrapers. That was cause for a sigh of relief.
In the past, the KMT government rolled out one too many so-called six-year national-development plans, 10 major construction projects, etc. The overemphasis on hardware facilities gave the people of Taiwan something to show off. However, because the central government ignored the quality of construction, large sums of those construction budgets lined the pockets of contractors, elected officials and government officials. Many corruption scandals were reported and the quality of public infrastructure projects was generally poor. Remember how many years of agonizing it took for the Mucha line of the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit System to actually start running? After every earthquake, numerous reports emerge about cracks in school buildings across the country.
The purpose of describing this nightmarish history here is to remind the DPP government not to fall into the KMT's rut and continue to let Taiwan sink. Taiwan has paid many a painful price for black gold politics. Even though Taiwan has rich natural resources that win praise from people around the world, the idea of building Taiwan into a "Switzerland of the East" still remains a distant dream.
Now that the DPP government has the will to build green industries in Taiwan, it is important that Taiwan's industries, officialdom and academia fully communicate with each other on the project. Especially, colleges and universities must cultivate an adequate talent pool to fulfill the future needs of industry. It will be just like more than 20 years ago, when Taiwan started developing the electronics and telecom industries. Thanks to massive government investments and various encouraging measures, Taiwan's industry now has good operational environments such as the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park, as well as abundant capital and full cooperation from academia.
Inspiring public wisdom and raising the quality of public education is far more important than pursuing massive architectural projects. Currently, medium-size and small enterprises are still the core of Taiwan's industry. Developing a "small-but-beautiful" kind of knowledge economy must be the core of Taiwan's development.
Such a move will depend on close cooperation between the government, academia and industry. In terms of policy, the government should encourage R&D as well as innovation, and help medium-sized and small enterprises upgrade their technological levels in accordance with their current scale. It should also create the space for professionals cultivated by academia and industry to fully utilize their capabilities and creativity with the help of adequate R&D funds, instead of pushing them to seek greener pastures abroad.
Proposing the six-year project is a responsible act on the part of the Cabinet. However, the project must not become another castle in the air. We hope it will truly build a sturdy foundation for the survival and welfare of Taiwan's future generations. Given how China is devouring Taiwan's human resources and capital, we have no time to make mistakes.
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
As former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) wrapped up his visit to the People’s Republic of China, he received his share of attention. Certainly, the trip must be seen within the full context of Ma’s life, that is, his eight-year presidency, the Sunflower movement and his failed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, as well as his eight years as Taipei mayor with its posturing, accusations of money laundering, and ups and downs. Through all that, basic questions stand out: “What drives Ma? What is his end game?” Having observed and commented on Ma for decades, it is all ironically reminiscent of former US president Harry