Cabinet approves 'new Silicon Valley' plan for Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli

At Thursday's Cabinet meeting, Premier Chen Chien-jen received a briefing from the National Development Council on a "new Silicon Valley" plan to connect tech hubs in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli. The premier said that the plan will promote the transformation and upgrade of science and technology industries in northwestern Taiwan, as well as spur on employment opportunities and help raise wages, to build a complete regional industrial ecosystem.

The premier pointed out that the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli area is an important regional cluster for the semiconductor, biotechnology, international logistics, and information and communications technology industries, and is one of the most important semiconductor industry clusters in the world. The plan is vital for the future overall development of the nation, but it is also designed to address the specific development needs of the region, he said.

Premier Chen said the plan employs four main strategies: (1) cultivate future-oriented technologies locally to propel industry-wide innovation; (2) support the growth of deep tech startups; (3) meet local demand for talent recruitment and training; and (4) improve park infrastructure to facilitate the creation of technology corridors. In addition, the plan sets out the complementary measures and infrastructure necessary to meet the development needs of industries with regards to water and electricity supplies, transportation, medical care, transitioning to net-zero emissions, as well as employee housing and child education services. These measures will promote a balance between achieving industrial development and building a secure and comfortable living environment in the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli region.