Taipei Times
Date: May 14, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
Taiwan’s long-term technological competitiveness could be undermined by a decline in
Minister of Science and Technology Chen Liang-gee speaks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee yesterday.Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
government funding for basic university research, Minister of Science and Technology (MOST) Chen Liang-gee (陳良基) warned yesterday.
Basic research lays the foundation for technological innovation and industrial transformation, Chen said at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee, adding that he hopes lawmakers would unfreeze some of the ministry’s funds.
The amount in the national budget allocated to technology has grown from NT$94.2 billion (US$3.03 billion) in 2010 to NT$115 billion in this fiscal year, the highest in 10 years, Chen said.
However, the percentage of funds allocated to basic research has fallen from 10.2 percent of the national budget in 2008 to 7.8 percent in 2017, the lowest over the period, he said. [FULL STORY]
