Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday announced her “Asian Silicon Valley” initiative, saying that the plan is to create the basis for business development for the next two decades and would welcome talent from all over the world, including China.
In a news conference at DPP headquarters in Taipei, Tsai said that if elected, she would seek to create an integral zone for innovative high-tech industries near Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to attract talent from within Taiwan and abroad, and push for closer cooperation between businesses in Taiwan and in Silicon Valley in the US, while creating more opportunities for young people.
“I know many Taiwanese who live in Silicon Valley,” Tsai said. “A lot of them have been there for decades. They have rich experience and have accumulated assets. Many of them are investing in start-ups.”
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
“If we could make connections to this senior talent in Silicon Valley to give Taiwanese entrepreneurs more opportunities, to have more exchanges with angel investors on the US’ west coast, to connect Taiwan’s innovative businesses and capital market with the world, we could find a starting point to move forward,” she said.
Tsai said she does not plan to attract foreign direct investment in the traditional sense, but rather seek to better connect research and development in Taiwan and the Silicon Valley, as well as enhancing exchanges of talent between the two sides.
Taoyuan was chosen for the initiative because of its central location. It is within a three-hour flight of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo or Singapore, as well as being midway between company headquarters in Taipei and research and manufacturing sites in the Hsinchu Science Park.
“The initiative sets the basis for development of Taiwanese businesses over the next two decades and is to overturn the outflow of Taiwanese talent and capital,” Tsai said. “The world is waiting on Taiwan and the DPP will move forward with all of you.”
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