Taiwan’s Biotechnology Policy and Promotion Status

To ensure that Taiwan's biotechnology industry becomes the star industry of the 21st century, recent years have seen the government implement several major life-breathing measures into the industry. Below is the chronology of events which have taken Taiwan one step closer to having a world-class biotechnology industry.

1. 1982 - The government identifies biotechnology as one of the eight key technologies, Academia Sinica set up the preparation office for the Molecular Biological Research Institute and the Biomedical Research Institute.
   　
2. 1984 - The National Science Council start promoting large-scale biotechnology programs. The non-profit Development Center for Biotechnology (DCB) is established in April of the same year to assist in the promotion of biotech R&D.
   　
3. 1984 - Taiwan's first biotech company - Paoshen Pharmaceutical - is set up in Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park, producing hepatitis B vaccines.
   　
4. 1988 - The Council of Agriculture includes biotechnology as a national level experimental research program.
   　
5. November 1989 - The ROC Biotechnology Industry Development Association is established.
   　
6. 1995 - The Executive Yuan approves the Promotion Plan for the Biotechnology Industry, aggressively promoting the industry. In August 1997, the Executive Yuan passes the first amendment to the Promotion Plan for the Biotechnology Industry. It subsequently passed the second amendment in March 1999, a third amendment in October 2001, and a fourth in March 2003.
   　
7. January 1995 - The non-profit National Health Research Institute is established.
   　
8. January 1996 - The National Science Council establishes the Tainan Science-Based Industrial Park, and establishes an agricultural biotechnology special zone. The same year sees promotion of the Frontier Program on Medical Gene Research.
   　
9. February 1996 - The Ministry of Economic Affairs establishes the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries Program Office, with plans to promote Taiwan as an Asia-Pacific bio-manufacturing center.
   　
10. 1997 - 2001 - The Executive Yuan convenes an annual Strategic Review Board (SRB) meeting.
    　
11. February 1997- Academia Sinica sets up the preparation office for the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute.
    　
12. March 1997 - The National Science Council launches the National Science and Technology Program for Agricultural Biotechnology, with phase II of the project continued in 2002.
    　
13. December 1997 - The Executive Yuan's Development Fund promulgates the Five Year Development Fund Investment Plan for the Biotechnology Industry. From1998 to 2002, the fund invests a total of NT$20 billion into the industry.
    　
14. July 1998 - The Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) is established.
    　
15. 1999 - The Foundation Law for technology development is approved, and the biotechnology industry as considered one of the ten major emerging industries in Taiwan. The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) establishes the Biomedical Engineering Center (BMEC).
    　
16. 1999 - The National Science Council promotes the implementation of the National Program for Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology, which is continuously promoted and renamed as the National Science and Technology Program in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology in 2003.
    　
17. 2001 - Academia Sinica establishes the Genome Research Center. In 2002, it promotes the National Science and Technology Program in Genomic Medicine.
    18. December 2001 - The Economic Development Advisory Committee arrives at a consensus to establish The Executive Yuan's One-Stop Service Office for the Biotechnology Industry
    　
18. May 2002 - The Executive Yuan reviews and approves the Challenge 2008 six-year national development plan, identifying the biotechnology industry as one of the Two Trillion, Twin Stars industries.
    　
19. 2002 - The second phase of the Nankang Software Park calls for the creation of a biotechnology special zone.
    　
20. 2003 - The Executive Yuan reviews and approves the Hsinchu Biomedical Park Plan.
    　
21. 2003 - The Executive Yuan's Council of Economic Planning and Development approves and passes plans for the establishment of the Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park as well as the local Changhwa National Floral Park, the Tainan Orchid Biotech Park, the Chaiyi Spices and Medicinal Herb Biotech Park and Ilan Marine Biotech Park.
    　
22. In 2003, based on the Program Report on Enhancing the Competitiveness of the Northern Central and Southern Cities, the Executive Yuan's Council of Economic Planning and Development arrives at a consensus to rapidly build the biotechnology special zone of the Tainan Science-based Industrial Park.