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.