CzechInvest and Taiwan agreed cooperation in research and development

2 Sep. 2010 | CzechInvest | Taiwan minister Lou-Chuang Lee visited CzechInvest.

CzechInvest and Taiwan agreed cooperation in the areas of research and development for example in form of Czech – Taiwan technology days or via program financing cooperation of the Czech and Taiwanese scientists and researchers. Taiwan minister and a member of National Scientific Coucil, Lou-Chuang Lee and the representatives of CzechInvest agency – director general, Miroslav Křížek, and a statutory deputy director, Alexandra Rudyšarová.

„In past twenty years twenty four investors from Taiwan came to the Czech Republic and created around seventeen thousand job opportunities. Most new jobs were in the area of production, which is something we would like to change in future; for example by closer cooperation in research and developement,“ explained Miroslav Křížek, director general of CzechInvest.

In Taiwan researchers and developers are in big favour of the state government as well as private sector. „The areas of research and development are annually supported by around 2,8 per cent of the national gross product, that is almost 11 billion US dollars. Over 70 per cent out of the total amount comes from the private sector, the rest is funded by the government,“ stated Lou-Chuang Lee, minister and member of National Science Council in Taiwan. In comparison, the Czech Republic invests annually around 1,6 per cent into research and development.

In the Czech Republic investments to areas of research and development also come from the EU structural funds. „For example due to the Operational programme Research and Development for Innovationsthere are several top centers of excelence costing billions of CZK in the Czech Republic; amonst them there is Central Bohemian Biocev or South Moravian CEITEC. Such institutions could well benefit from the Czech-Taiwanese cooperation,“ remarked Alexandra Rudyšarová, statutory deputy director general.

Taiwan and the Czech Republic have established a mutual cooperation in the areas of research and development for several years. In 2007 and 2008 the Czech-Taiwan Technology Days took place in both countries and the next ones will be in Taipei in 2011.