President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday promised to increase government funding for technology research to 3 percent of GDP by 2012 to bolster the nation’s competitiveness in research.
Addressing the 28th meeting of Academia Sinica academicians yesterday, Ma expressed high hopes for the institution’s future as a leader in research, promising an 8 percent to 10 percent increase each year in research funding.
The president also said his administration would listen to the public and that the Academia Sinica should monitor its performance and advise it.
“Taiwan is facing great challenges today. The government will lead the country with humility and listen to the voice of the public,” Ma said.
A poll conducted by the Democratic Progressive Party last month found that Ma’s approval ratings had dropped from more than 71 percent in the party’s April 7 poll to nearly 55 percent on May 27.
Asked to comment on the president’s remarks and Ma’s approval ratings, former Academia Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), who served as an adviser to former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), said the public should give Ma and his administration more time to prove themselves.
“I think all national leaders and government officials should listen to the voice of the public,” he said.
Lee praised the president for promising to increase funding for technology research, but urged him not to follow the example of Chen’s administration, which made the same promise but never followed through.
AIDS research pioneer David Ho (何大一) and other academicians echoed the remarks, saying the extra funding would offer a significant boost to the nation’s technological competitiveness.
“All research requires money and we can’t do anything without a budget,” Ho said.
Academician Lee Wun-Shung (李文雄) said the EU planned to increase research funding to 3 percent of GDP in 2010.
Taiwan should follow the EU’s footsteps and invest more in technology research, Lee Wun-shung said.
Former education minister Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝), who also attended the ceremony, declined to comment.
The Academia Sinica will meet for four days and select new members on Friday.
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