Cabinet approves new Silicon Valley plan for southern Taiwan

Taipei, Jan. 2 (CNA) The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved a plan to create Taiwan's own Silicon Valley in southern Taiwan.

The plan involves the development and linking of multiple science and technology industrial parks in Tainan, Chiayi, Kaohsiung and Pingtung and building them into an S-shaped semiconductor corridor, a policy priority envisioned by the government to form a technology industrial cluster in the south, and prepare Taiwan for the artificial intelligence (AI) era.

The Executive Yuan, Taiwan's Cabinet, approved the "Greater Southern New Silicon Valley Promotion Plan," which will seek to expand computing power, attract technology talent, establish an S-shaped semiconductor corridor and promote industrial integration.

According to the plan, a research and development environment using high computing power, massive storage systems and AI applications will be developed through public-private collaboration to promote the innovation of AI technology.

The plan also aims to popularize AI talent training and AI applications for small and medium-sized enterprises through the Shalun cybersecurity service base in Tainan, a chip and system integration service platform, and a semiconductor technology talent training base in the south.

Under the plan, various government agencies are required to come up with complementary measures, including improving supporting facilities such as water supply, power supply, medical care, transportation and cultural facilities.

Su Chen-kang (蘇振綱), vice minster of National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), said he hopes that all supporting measures will be coordinated to attract major international and domestic companies that value talent to set up R&D centers in southern Taiwan.

As for water supply, use of recycled water will be strengthened, while a plan to connect reservoirs in the south to enhance the resilience of water supply will be introduced, Su added.

In addition, other measures such as the connection of regional power grids and the wide uses of green energy such as photovoltaics, and energy-saving solutions by the industry will be introduced to ensure sufficient power supply, according to Su.

Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) cited Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) as saying during the Cabinet meeting that the new Silicon Valley promotion plan will build on southern Taiwan's existing global strengths in semiconductor technology, biotechnology and medical materials, precision machinery, optoelectronics, and green energy industries.

Cho said the plan will also strengthen Taiwan's drone, space, and smart agriculture industries, while advancing the nation's AI technology research, development, and system integration capabilities, according to Lee.

This will position Taiwan to lead in the era of AI applications, accelerate the digital transformation of various industries and transition to net-zero carbon emissions, Lee quoted Cho as saying.