Taiwan and the Czech Republic are promoting a cooperation plan to enhance the resilience and capacity building of democratic partner supply chains. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated that it will establish an Advanced Chip Design Research Center in the Czech Republic to assist in developing chip design capabilities. The center is scheduled to be inaugurated in October, and Taiwan is also cooperating with Slovakia and Lithuania in the semiconductor field.
This collaboration between Taiwan and the Czech Republic is based on their shared friendly principles, gradually strengthening substantial cooperation. Taiwan is promoting the “Taiwan-Czech Democratic Partner Supply Chain Resilience and Capacity Building Cooperation Plan,” with the Czech side developing projects such as the “Advanced Chip Design Research Center” (ACDRC), “Supply Chain Resilience Research Center” (SCRC), “Key Technology Scholarship Program” (SMSKT), and “Business Opportunity Promotion Program” (BOEP), to be implemented from 2023 to 2027.
Regarding the connection between the Advanced Chip Design Research Center and the Prague “Chip Creation Overseas Base,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China explained that the center is part of the Taiwan-Czech resilience project, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and executed by the National Applied Research Laboratories of the National Science Council, aiming to assist the Czech Republic in enhancing its semiconductor industry capabilities. The “CbI Plan” is led by the National Science Council to create an international platform for cultivating chip design talents. The Council is still in the planning stage, and if concrete actions are taken in the future, the direction is expected to complement the Advanced Chip Design Research Center.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China pointed out that the Advanced Chip Design Research Center aims to establish an advanced chip research center in the Czech Republic, assisting in developing chip design capabilities and training professionals in this field. Taiwan and the Czech Republic have signed a cooperation agreement, with the implementation entrusted to the Czech National Cyber Security Centre and the National Applied Research Laboratories of the National Science Council. The project held its initiation ceremony in June this year and is scheduled to be inaugurated in October.
As for the Supply Chain Resilience Research Center, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China mentioned that Taiwan and the Czech Republic are jointly conducting research on supply chain trade, investment, and technical cooperation, and publishing relevant research reports. The cooperating units are Charles University in the Czech Republic and National Chengchi University in Taiwan, with a cooperation agreement signed and plans to hold related seminars by the end of this year.
Regarding the Key Technology Scholarship Program, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated that scholarships are provided to Czech students in key technology fields needed for the development of the semiconductor industry, allowing them to come to Taiwan to accumulate professional knowledge and contribute to fulfilling the talent needs for Taiwanese businesses investing in the Czech Republic. After two years of implementation, 56 Czech students have participated in short-term training and degree programs, and Taiwan continues to encourage more Czech talents to apply for scholarships to further their studies in Taiwan.
In terms of the Business Opportunity Promotion Program, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China mentioned the establishment of a trade and investment promotion center to facilitate economic and trade exchanges between Taiwan and the Czech Republic, as well as enhance Taiwanese understanding and investment interest in Czech industries, education, culture, and tourism. CzechInvest, the Czech investment promotion agency, announced the establishment of a CzechInvest office in Taiwan on May 15. Additionally, the “Czech Center Taipei” held its opening ceremony in Taiwan on June 4.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China also noted ongoing cooperation with Slovakia in the semiconductor field, assisting in establishing an automotive power module laboratory and collaborating on the research and development of automotive gallium nitride and gallium oxide compound semiconductor chips for electric vehicle drive designs. The cooperative outcomes are expected to benefit Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and the European automotive industry by promoting technology exchanges and driving Taiwan’s industry into the European automotive supply chain system.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China explained that Taiwan is also assisting Lithuania in establishing a semiconductor chip design center, an 8-inch wafer fab, packaging and testing facilities, among others, to support the country’s development of semiconductor design and chip manufacturing capabilities, establishing a Baltic semiconductor ecosystem. In the future, Taiwan is looking to introduce its industrial supply chain and technical consulting services into Lithuania.
(Source: Central News Agency)