The government should improve the nation’s infrastructure, diversify the energy mix and increase the low birthrate to put Taiwan on a sustainable course of growth, the Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI, 全國工業總會) said yesterday as it released its annual position paper.
The paper identified unbalanced industrial development, an unstable energy supply, a population crisis, global inflation and supply chain realignment, as well as cross-strait and geopolitical tensions, as the top challenges.
The trade group called for building Taiwan into a regional operation hub that would make better use of its technology leadership, in addition to efforts to make the nation a regional center for high-end semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
Photo: Liao Chia-ning, Taipei Times
At a news conference marking the paper’s release, CNFI chairman Matthew Miao (苗豐強) highlighted events affecting global trade and commerce, such as the US-China trade dispute, the COVID-19 pandemic and the dispersion of supply chains.
One result of these events, for nations and corporations, has been a shift toward emphasizing regional and local development, Miao said, adding that the changes require adopting a new strategic approach centered on “globalized thinking and localized action.”
In light of these trends, Taiwan should build on its existing manufacturing foundation to establish itself as a regional hub in the post-COVID-19 era, he said.
The government should allow non-financial sectors to set up holding companies so that they can grow in size and capitalization similar to financial holding companies, the group said.
The group, which consists of 159 associations and represents a majority of local manufacturing firms, said the government should give small and medium-sized enterprises opportunities to join the development of offshore wind farms, the space industry, drones and electric vehicles.
The government should also speed up development of idle industrial land plots and retire old water pipes and other worn-out infrastructure to reduce waste and boost efficiency, the group said.
The group urged policymakers to diversify the nation’s energy mix by giving favorable consideration to nuclear power and slow down the pursuit of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
“It is better to wait and see how other countries fare in realizing the policy,” the CNFI said, adding that Taiwan might be affected by energy shortages due to its delay in developing green energy and the planned retirement of nuclear power plants.
Policymakers also should create a more favorable environment for raising children by extending compulsory education to preschools and easing foreign labor rules to resolve labor shortages, the group said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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