Friday - May 6: Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP)

The CTSP is the largest of 3 science parks and has helped Taiwan gain the reputation of Silicon Island. The geographic location of the park has helped attract international companies. There are manufacturers, research institutions, and incubation centers. The low density strategy includes industry clusters which create a competitive advantage. Taiwan has made improvements to their infrastructure and offers a high-speed rail system, highways, air, and transportation by sea. Another advantage is the well-educated population and networks with institutes of higher education.

The advantage of the industrial park is it offers companies the opportunity to minimize the risk of doing business by leasing the land for 20 years to interested parties. Taiwan also offers tax abatement for a specified number of years, which I think amounted to $0 tax for the first 5 years. The park is relatively new and the government has played a central role in development by attracting key industries so that the area can act as a trade school with diversified programs to teach new skills to local workers and management.

The goals of the park include efficiency, environment, economy, education, and Eco-friendly. The land was formerly part of the old sugar company and the government looked for alternative uses of the land as the nation moved from an agriculture base to and industrialized base. The staff said they encourage students to work at the park and in the next 5 to 10 years they will shift towards more IT.

What impressed me most about the Park was the role of the government in coordinating recruitment and cooperation among different industries. The focus is on long-term solutions, increasing employment opportunities, and Eco-friendly programs that will benefit Taiwan for many years to come. The programs in the U.S. seem to have more of a short-term focus. Some examples would be the extension of Federal unemployment benefits and tax incentives for certain industries which may be influenced by key players or lobby groups.

http://web1.nsc.gov.tw/mp.aspx?mp=7