June 13, 2004
The Legislative Yuan has passed the of Agricultural Biotechnology Park Establishment and Management Act, as proposed by the Council of Agriculture (COA), and the new act has been promulgated by the president and implemented. The act provides a number of preferential measures for companies that take up residence in the park, including the following:
1. Hardware and software infrastructure: An abundant supply of land and standard plants with good access are to be offered at preferential prices, and there will be a single window for utilities and administrative operations.
2. Specialized public facilities: Greenhouses, experimental farms, low-temperature storage and shipping centers, and isolation facilities for trans-genetic biology needed for
R&D by agricultural biotechnology industries will be built.
3. Supply of professional talent: An industry/school exchange and cooperation mechanism will be used to bring together the park's neighboring Pingtung University of Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung University, and other academic and educational institutions to form a human resources supply system.
4. Assistance for start-ups: An incubator center will be set up in the park to integrate the technical and manpower resources of the COA's various research and experimentation units in providing concrete hardware and software assistance designed to attract private investment into the field of agricultural biotechnology.
5. Financing: Special low-interest loans will be provided for companies in the park that export high-end agricultural biotechnology products.
6. Intellectual property rights: Special personnel will be designated by the park administration to carry out the collection and categorization of information on agricultural biotechnology intellectual property, and to help companies in the park to assess, bring in, or transfer such intellectual property in order to develop the knowledge economy.
7. Supply of raw materials: The park administration will help farmers' organizations outside the park to operate satellite farms for the stable supply of needed raw materials.
8. Tax preferences: Companies operating in the park will be able to import machinery, equipment, materials, and semi-finished products free of import tariffs, commodity taxes, and business taxes. Under the Statute for Upgrading Industries, they will also be eligible for a five-year income tax holiday.
The COA points out that Pingtung has been decided upon as the location of Taiwan's first national agricultural biotech park. The park will be situated on two farms, totaling 350 hectares, owned by the Taiwan Sugar Corp.; it will be able to accommodate up to 120 companies, and in 10 years will have a projected annual production value of NT$18 billion while creating 8,000 jobs for residents of southern Taiwan. Companies moving into the park during its first two years of operation will be offered three rent-free years, and those making special contributions will enjoy up to five years of land rental exemptions or reductions. Companies operating in the park's customs bonded area will be exempt from trade promotion and harbor service fees. The park is already filling up; by the end of February, 12 companies had received permission to move in.
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