The National Science Council (NSC,
Failing in urging Vice Chairman Steve Hsieh (
Hsieh made the request to step down on May 8, one day after Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp (THSRC,
The wrangle between THSRC and NSC over the rail line's vibration problems has been highlighted since late February, when Winbond Electronics Corp (
The Winbond decision was followed by several other DRAM chipmakers pulling out of the park, including Silicon Integrated Systems Co (
The high-speed rail line, which crosses the industrial zone, is scheduled to start in 2005.
For firms locating within 200m from the railroad line, the ideal vibration level was 48dB. According to the contract THSRC signed with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications the accepted level could be as low as 68dB.
Hsieh was the second NSC leader to leave the position because of disputes over the science park.
The NSC has tried to persuade the THSRC to reduce vibration levels of the rail systems by changing details of the construction of a bridge near the park, but their arguments were not accepted. Scientists for the NSC said that this was the only efficient method to solve resonance vibration caused by the passage of the trains.
The THSRC argued that the construction would be carried out based on the contract and its insistence received strong support from the Cabinet on May 8.
To show his resolution to take the responsibility for choosing the site as a industrial park, Hsieh decided on May 8 to leave the NSC, where he had worked for 19 years.
Wei said yesterday the announcement of a candidate to occupy the vacant position left by Hsieh was uncertain.
According to the council, the candidate should be familiar with both technology policies and science-based industrial parks affairs.
The director of NSC's Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park Administration (新竹科學園區管理局), Huang Wen-hsiung (黃文雄), is reportedly being considered by the council as a possible candidate.
Huang said yesterday that he had not been approached about the position.
Authorities have detained three former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TMSC, 台積電) employees on suspicion of compromising classified technology used in making 2-nanometer chips, the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday. Prosecutors are holding a former TSMC engineer surnamed Chen (陳) and two recently sacked TSMC engineers, including one person surnamed Wu (吳) in detention with restricted communication, following an investigation launched on July 25, a statement said. The announcement came a day after Nikkei Asia reported on the technology theft in an exclusive story, saying TSMC had fired two workers for contravening data rules on advanced chipmaking technology. Two-nanometer wafers are the most
NEW GEAR: On top of the new Tien Kung IV air defense missiles, the military is expected to place orders for a new combat vehicle next year for delivery in 2028 Mass production of Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) missiles is expected to start next year, with plans to order 122 pods, the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) latest list of regulated military material showed. The document said that the armed forces would obtain 46 pods of the air defense missiles next year and 76 pods the year after that. The Tien Kung IV is designed to intercept cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to an altitude of 70km, compared with the 60km maximum altitude achieved by the Missile Segment Enhancement variant of PAC-3 systems. A defense source said yesterday that the number of
A bipartisan group of US representatives have introduced a draft US-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership bill, aimed at accelerating defense technology collaboration between Taiwan and the US in response to ongoing aggression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The bill was introduced by US representatives Zach Nunn and Jill Tokuda, with US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar and US Representative Ashley Hinson joining as original cosponsors, a news release issued by Tokuda’s office on Thursday said. The draft bill “directs the US Department of Defense to work directly with Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense through their respective
CHINA’s BULLYING: The former British prime minister said that he believes ‘Taiwan can and will’ protect its freedom and democracy, as its people are lovers of liberty Former British prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday said Western nations should have the courage to stand with and deepen their economic partnerships with Taiwan in the face of China’s intensified pressure. He made the remarks at the ninth Ketagalan Forum: 2025 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prospect Foundation in Taipei. Johnson, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time, said he had seen Taiwan’s coastline on a screen on his indoor bicycle, but wanted to learn more about the nation, including its artificial intelligence (AI) development, the key technology of the 21st century. Calling himself an
RSS