Taiwan, U.K. sign science, technology deal covering 3 areas

Taipei, Oct. 3 (CNA) Taiwan and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement to pursue projects in satellite communications, silicon photonics and semiconductor talent development, Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said Saturday.

The Taiwan-U.K. Science, Innovation and Technology Arrangement (SITA) was signed in London on Friday by Taipei Representative to the U.K. Vincent Yao (姚金祥) and British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones, the NSTC said in a news release.

According to NSTC Deputy Minister Chen Bing-yu (陳炳宇), the agreement marked an important step toward institutionalizing Taiwan-U.K. science and technology cooperation, allowing both sides to leverage their complementary strengths through concrete projects and strengthen cooperation in key technology sectors.

The three projects were agreed during a SITA roundtable co-chaired by Chen and U.K. National Technology Adviser Dave Smith following the signing ceremony.

The first project will involve satellite communications, with the U.K. Space Agency and Taiwan Space Agency planning joint research and development in advanced satellite communications technologies. The project will serve as a flagship outcome of SITA, the NSTC said.

The second is a Taiwan-U.K. Silicon Photonics Academic Alliance, backed by seed funding secured by the U.K. With support from the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI), the alliance will promote academic exchanges, talent development and industry-academia cooperation in silicon photonics.

The third is a semiconductor skills initiative, building on a memorandum of understanding on semiconductor talent development signed by the U.K.'s former Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two sides welcomed the results of the first group of U.K. master's students who came to Taiwan for internships, the NSTC said, adding that it will work with TSRI to support the initiative, including programs for U.K. research talent to visit Taiwan.

According to the U.K. government, SITA is a non-legally-binding framework between the U.K. and Taiwan to support cooperation in science, innovation and technology.