Taiwan, Czech Republic unveil joint chip design and research center

Brno, Oct. 18 (CNA) Taiwan and the Czech Republic on Friday unveiled the Advanced Chip Design and Research Center (ACDRC) in Brno, the second-largest city in the Central European nation.

The center is a collaboration between Taiwan's National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) and the Czech Republic's Cybersecurity Hub, a joint team comprising Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology and Czech Technical University.

It was launched in June, but its unveiling ceremony was held in Brno on Friday.

NARLabs President Tsai Hung-yin (蔡宏營), who attended Friday's ceremony, said the ACDRC will not only strengthen bilateral ties, but also demonstrate Taiwan and the Czech Republic's mutual commitment to cultivating talent and promoting semiconductor development.

"Today's event symbolizes a historic breakthrough and marks a new milestone in bilateral semiconductor cooperation," he said.

In a pre-recorded congratulatory message, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said the two sides were natural partners for developing key technologies in the supply chain.

He said Taiwan is a chip design and manufacturing powerhouse, and the Czech Republic has great potential to become an important player in semiconductors due to its skilled engineers and scientists.

The combination of the expertise, talent and industrial advantages of the two sides, along with the shared values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, should form the basis for a strong partnership, Lin said.

Also at the ceremony, Czech Deputy Science, Research and Innovation Minister Jana Havlikova said it was crucial to have reliable and trustworthy partners in a world that is facing many geopolitical challenges, and Taiwan is clearly such a partner.

Cooperation between the Czech Republic and Taiwan has spanned over three decades, she said, and she expressed the hope that through the ACDRC, the two sides could see their joint efforts bear fruitful results in the future.

Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil said at the event that the partnership will enable his country to build on its experience and knowledge in the field of semiconductors.

With Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest contract chipmaker, setting up shop in Dresden, Vystrčil said it will provide a huge opportunity for the Czech Republic, as Prague is only a 90-minute drive from the east German city.

"We must seize the opportunity and continue to cultivate talent," he said.

Markéta Pekarová Adamová, president of the country's Parliamentary Chamber of Deputies, said she was delighted to witness the center's establishment because many industries now rely on semiconductors, including emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

The ACDRC can be seen as another new bridge connecting Taiwan and the Czech Republic, following the Supply Chain Resilience Center established last year at Charles University, Adamová said.

According to a press release issued by NARLabs on June 11, the ACDRC will focus on cultivating integrated circuit design talent in various fields, fostering the development of the semiconductor industry ecosystem in the Czech Republic, and strengthening the bond between Taiwan's semiconductor industry and the Czech Republic.