Science Parks

The Source of Innovation

Taiwan's science parks cater exclusively to the needs of high-tech industry development, utilizing resources from industry, government, and academia to create an innovative environment that successfully integrates R&D and manufacturing. Administered by a division of the National Science Council, the parks offer incentives and programs to encourage industrial high-tech development. The science parks are the home of some of the world's foremost technology companies, and serve a broad range of industries, including IC production, computer/peripherals, telecommunications, precision instruments, biotechnology, and nanotechnology.

Major Science Parks

Located in northern Taiwan and covering over 1,977 hectares of land, Hsinchu Science Park is the island's first science park and home of Taiwan Semiconductor, the world's largest made-to-order IC manufacturer. Consisting of seven different 'bases' within its grounds, the park is home to several industrial technology research organizations and testing labs that are producing significant R&D contributions. These groups include the National Center for High-Performance Computing, National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, the National Space Organization, the Precision Instrument Development Center, the Chip Implementation Center, and the National Nano Device Laboratories. With the development of its Jhunan and Longtan bases and the construction of a biomedicine park set for completion at the end of 2008, the Hsinchu Science Park has established itself as an important center for Taiwan's "Two Trillion Twin Star" Industries.

Located between the southern cities of Tainan and Kaohsiung, the Southern Taiwan Science Park is a conglomeration of the Tainan Science Park and the Luchu Science Park. The STSP serves as a home to a growing number of IT, panel display, and electronics companies and also accommodates the biotechnology and agriculture industries. The park is composed of three bases: Tainan (1,038 hectares), Luchu (in Kaohsiung, 571 hectares), and the Kaohsiung Biotechnology Park (8.5 hectares). The Tainan and Luchu parks host a complete industry cluster of optoelectronics companies; these areas are also the primary location for the development of 12 inch chip wafer manufacturing plants. The STSP's future development goals also include a biotechnology park and R&D center.

The Central Taiwan Science Park covers 509 hectares of land in Taichung County and Yunlin Counties, and is still partially under construction. The park connects with the Hsinchu and Tainan science parks to form western Taiwan's "high technology corridor," and serve as the core of this "green silicon island." The CTSP was the last of the parks to be completed, but it has undergone the most rapid development. The park is expected to expand to 1,765 hectares and host over 150 companies by 2015, with project revenues exceeding NTD 1 trillion. Prominent companies at the CTSP include TFT-LCD manufacturer AUO Optronics, leading global photomask producer JSR Micro of Japan, and LCD glass substrate manufacturer Corning. The park aims to accommodate industries such as the nanotechnology for precision machinery, nanotechnology materials, aerospace, biotechnology, information and optoelectronics industries.