President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of May 2 attended the opening of the International Forum on Biotechnology Policy, which is being held to mark the third anniversary of the founding of the Asian Institute of TeleSurgery (AITS) set up by the Show Chwan Health Care System. The president stressed that the government places great importance on the development of the biotechnology industry, and called on the industry to work together with Taiwan's electronics and communications industries to contribute further, both domestically and internationally, in the field of biotechnology, thereby generating business opportunities.
In remarks to the gathering, the president stated that biotechnology has replaced the information and communications technology (ICT) industry as the red-hot industry of the 21st century. The biotech sector, he said, needs to tap into other technologies, including the IT industry, which is one of Taiwan's strengths. The president explained that two years ago the government singled out biotechnology as one of the six major emerging industries, and said the government believes that Taiwan's strong foundation in ICT will help to pave the way for development of the biotech sector.
President Ma said that biotechnology includes everything from traditional fermentation brewing technology to the latest medical devices. He remarked that the minimally invasive surgery promoted by AITS is an advanced healthcare technology, and expressed his hope that people in many fields will make use of Taiwan's abundant ICT talent to continue carrying out innovative R&D in this field, thereby creating even greater business opportunities.
The president noted that various achievements have been witnessed in Taiwan's biotechnology industry in recent years. Various industrial parks are currently being developed, including the Nangang biotechnology park, the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park, and the Kaohsiung Biotechnology Park. The Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park will open its doors later this month, he said. In addition, the government is also introducing various biotechnology development projects to promote integrated development, he said, adding that a number of sizeable venture capital projects are also in the process of being implemented.
President Ma remarked that biotechnology requires large, risky investments, but profits are slow to materialize. Nonetheless, if successful, the returns on such investments can be significantly greater than in other industries. The government, he said, has proclaimed its intention to "strengthen the country through innovation," and biotechnology is a path we must pursue. Meanwhile, the president added that the government in 2009 formulated the Diamond Action Plan for Biotech Takeoff and the Health Care Value-added Platinum Program. These two initiatives are related to the theme of today's forum, he said, adding his hope that biotechnology will follow in the footsteps of the ICT industry and become a key engine of national industrial development in the future.
President Ma praised the Show Chwan Health Care System for introducing international expertise to Taiwan, and for providing domestic experts the opportunity to learn about the latest technology. Show Chwan has made an important contribution to both Taiwan and the region in scientific and health care development, he said.