The Executive Yuan is expected to increase the budget for technology-related spending for fiscal 2019 to NT$120 billion (US$3.9 billion), of which NT$1 billion would be dedicated to the cultivation of young researchers to encourage them to stay in Taiwan, sources said.
This year’s budget was NT$115.1 billion, including the items in the government’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program.
The Executive Yuan next year plans to allocate NT$97.6 billion for technological development and NT$18.7 billion for technological projects listed in the program, the sources said.
Of the former, 20 percent would be allocated to projects related to biomedicine and 17 percent would be earmarked for those related to the digital economy, sources added.
Premier William Lai (賴清德) is expected to preside over cross-agency budget meetings today to finalize budget ceilings for all government agencies.
Many outstanding researchers and academics in Taiwan have been recruited by foreign universities, Executive Yuan Office of Science and Technology Executive Secretary Tsai Zse-hong (蔡志宏) said.
More researchers would possibly leave for other countries if the nation fails to offer them a stable environment to conduct research, he added.
Technology-related projects in the program would focus on the construction of green energy facilities and digital infrastructure as well as talent cultivation, the sources said.
To offer young talent a stable and resourceful research environment, the government would allocate more research funding to them, they added.
The Ministry of Science and Technology’s artificial intelligence (AI) innovative research center would receive a second-phase budget of NT$1.5 billion, while the budget of its third-phase space program has yet to be determined, the sources said.
Regarding the nation’s key technological projects next year, the Executive Yuan would continue promoting the “five plus two” innovative industries of the “Asian Silicon Valley” development plan: smart machinery, green energy, biomedicine, national defense and aerospace, new agriculture and a circular economy, an official said on condition of anonymity.
Digital economy, innovative cultural technology, chip design and semiconductor-related technologies are also among the nation’s key development projects, the official said, adding that the Cabinet would also promote AI and biomedical technologies to boost the competitiveness of the nation’s technological industry.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mindanao in the Philippines at 7:38am today, prompting the US Tsunami Warning System to issue an alert for neighboring countries, including Taiwan. The system issued a purple alert indicating a "tsunami threat." The potential threat zone includes Taiwan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Yap and Palau. Philippine authorities were assessing the damage from the quake, with the office of civil defense seeking to verifying initial reports that 15 people had been killed and 129 injured in the region, mostly from falling debris. Arlene Hollero, disaster chief of Maasim town in the Philippines' Sarangani Province,
‘GRAY ZONE’ PRESSURE: Beijing’s activities are intended to create the deceitful impression that China has jurisdiction over the area around Taiwan, the CGA said Taiwan’s rights over its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone must not be violated by any country, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday, adding that it will not accept any unprovoked actions. The council issued the remarks in response to the China Coast Guard conducting maritime enforcement drills near eastern Taiwan and claiming to fully exercise China’s maritime administrative law enforcement authority. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) has been closely monitoring the situation and is taking concrete steps to defend the nation’s sovereignty and secure its waters, the council said. China has no sovereign rights over the waters off eastern
RESILIENCE: Taiwan plays a key role in semiconductors, energy, information infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, AIT Director Raymond Greene said Taiwan’s continued investment in deterrence and resilience remains vital, especially in uncrewed systems and other emerging technologies, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene said yesterday. Greene made the remarks at the annual National Strategic Summit on Supply Chain Resilience held by the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET), a government-backed think tank. As Taiwan last year became the US’ fourth-largest trading partner and supply chain security is becoming more important, cooperation in emerging technologies continues to deepen between the two countries, he said. The US is committed to accelerating innovation, building key infrastructure, strengthening cooperation
The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday showcased its locally developed variants of the Vision 60 robotic patrol dog, which it plans to deploy on the nation’s outlying territories in the South China Sea. The variants were produced under the Joint Lab project — created by the institute and domestic companies — and assembled with domestically produced motors, lenses and artificial intelligence (AI) systems alongside licensed tech from the US, Missile and Rocket Systems Research Division deputy director Jen Kuo-kang (任國光) told the media event at a military base in Taipei’s Dazhi (大直) area. Taiwan has built up its strengths
RSS