President Chen Shui-bian attended and gave a speech at the presentation ceremony of the "14th Symbol of Excellence Award" on August 24 in Taipei.
"Taiwan Excellence" has become a synonym for "innovation value," the president said in his speech, adding that Taiwan's manufacturers have successfully transformed from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), to original design manufacturers (ODMs), and further to original brand manufacturers (OBMs).
The president especially cited the "2005-2006 Global Competitiveness Report," made by the World Economic Forum, as saying that Taiwan's competitiveness in "technology" and "innovation" are both ranked third in the world. This attests to the fact that Taiwan's "innovation value" is the niche to be made good use of when Taiwan strives to elevate its national competitiveness and meet the challenge brought by globalization, he added.
The Symbol of Excellence Award, founded 13 years ago, has meticulously recorded, and is still recording, the traces imprinted in Taiwan's industrial development, the president said in conclusion.