Taiwan promotes ‘Silicon Island’ concept

TAIWAN’S TRADITIONAL labour-intensive
industries have recently swum west, causing a
shift that has seen the Beautiful Island evolve
into a powerhouse for semiconductors and
microelectronic components.
The Taiwanese government has acknowledged
the country’s growth in manufacturing
output, promoting a “Silicon Island” concept
that emphasises high-tech development and
environmental conservation. Atomic manipulation
through nanotechnology is a key arena for this
governmental push for green.
Machinery and electronic equipment retains
its status as the chief export to South Africa, with
base metals the main import commodity from
SA. South Africa’s trade balance with Taiwan, over
a billion rand in the red in 2006, is already at
negative R528m this year.
Taiwan’s exports to South Africa topped R6.7bn
last year. “Machinery and mechanical equipment
especially for mining are the main commodities
being exported to South Africa,” says Ernest Lin,
director of the Taiwan Trade Centre based in
Gauteng. “The quotas on Chinese textiles have not
really affected our exports, with textiles to South
Africa up 23% from last year.”
Annual growth of fresh produce into Taiwan has
risen 126% from 2006-2007 to R43m, while base
metals have declined 16% to R2.1bn, though these
are still the chief export commodity
from SA.
“The southern port of Kaohsiung is ranked
sixth globally in terms of capacity and volume
throughput, which allows for easy exports to
Taiwan’s main export partners in China and Hong
Kong,” says Lin. China is the main importer of
Taiwanese products, mainly flat panel display
components and semiconductors used in advanced
information communication technologies, while
Taiwan’s main import partner is Japan.