President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said her administration would focus on making the biotechnology and medicine industry the future cornerstone of Taiwan’s economic growth.
She made the statement as she visited the Nangang Software Park in Taipei, the first stop of what is planned as a weeks-long tour of Taiwanese industries.
“We hope to learn the newest research and development directions of the industry to better coordinate support from the government and academia,” Tsai said, adding that the second objective was to look into what legal difficulties the industry has so that her government could help ameliorate the situation.
Photo: Chang Chia-wen, Taipei Times
Accompanied by almost every member of her future policymaking team, Tsai said her visit embodied both the determination and confidence of her incoming administration to see the industry succeed.
The development of the biomedicine industry is something Taiwan must do, Tsai said.
“I am willing to say, responsibly, that the Democratic Progressive Party administration will do its best to make Taiwan’s biomedicine industry shine,” she said.
Asked about OBI Pharma Inc (台灣浩鼎) stock plummeting on Monday in Taipei trading over the failure of its breast cancer vaccine in clinical trials, Tsai declined to comment on “one individual case,” but said that the industry was full of hardships.
As long as the government is determined and has a clear direction, Taiwanese research and development teams would be able to make breakthroughs, thereby reassuring investors and retaining their confidence, Tsai said.
The new government will support all Taiwanese, just as the institute for biotechnology and medicine industry is to support the government, Tsai said.
Taiwan should establish a friendlier innovative environment to boost its research and development capabilities, while ensuring that legal regulations encouraged more talented individuals to come and work in the nation, Tsai said.
Tsai said she looks forward to exchanging constructive commentary with the industries during her tour about the problems they are facing.
Tsai also expressed an interest in attempts to recruit people from the industry for her administration, but added that it was challenging finding people who are experienced in their field and eligible for governmental service.
The DPP said Tsai’s tour had been planned with close communication with the primary industries, saying that it would help “oil to the governmental machine” once Tsai takes office on May 20.
The tour is to run until late next month, with Tsai visiting industries nationwide, including the five that she highlighted during her presidential campaign — green energy, “Asian Silicon valley,” national defense, biotechnology and medicine and smart machinery — as well as agriculture and marine aquaculture, the DPP said.
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