Taiwan-U.S. science & technology dialogue ends with fruitful results: council

Taipei, May 25 (CNA) The inaugural Taiwan-U.S. Science and Technology Cooperation Dialogue (STC-D) concluded in Taipei on Thursday with fruitful results including reaching consensus on expanding collaboration in semiconductor and cancer research, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said Thursday.

The event was the first high-level strategic dialogue between the two sides since the signing of the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in December 2020, according to the NSTC.

The event, co-organized by Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Ministry of Health and Welfare, included the first STC-D meeting held on May 22 and seven science and technology seminars held from May 18 to May 25, the NSTC said at a press conference.

During the event, scientists and experts from the U.S. and Taiwan reached consensus on some areas, including promoting and expanding existing cooperation in semiconductor research and applications as well as environmental modeling and research, according to the NSTC.

In terms of cancer research, participants also agreed to the new goal of the Cancer Moonshot 2.0 project, namely reducing major cancer death rates by at least 50 percent in the next 25 years in the two countries. Major cancer types include lung, breast, liver and gastrointestinal cancer.

To reach that goal, the two countries also outlined priority areas of cooperation including precision diagnosis and treatment of cancer, development of new approaches to treatment and novel medical materials as well as big data analysis, according to the NSTC.

Meanwhile, U.S. representatives also encouraged Taiwan's healthcare supply chain to make inroads in the American market, the NSTC said.

Regarding cooperation in semiconductors, NSTC chief Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) said the NSTC is studying the feasibility of establishing a base in the U.S. to cultivate IC design talent in the two countries.