The minister of the National Development Council (NDC) Ming-Hsin Kung led a 28-member delegation to visit the Czech Republic and Poland on 22 July, looking for investment targets with NTD$6 billion allocated in semiconductors and talent development, 5G, scientific research, and electric vehicles and other science and technology industries. Chunghwa Telecom is one of the key enterprises in the delegation, and will explore co-operation opportunities such as 5G.
The trade delegation, led by Ming-Hsin Kung, is taking a direct flight from Taipei to Prague, Czech Republic, on China Airlines, symbolising a further step in Taiwan-Czech industrial exchanges. In addition to government units, the delegation includes Chunghwa Telecom, SEMI Taiwan, as well as representatives from important research institutes, universities, and representatives from the information and communications, semiconductor, finance, and venture capital industries in the country.
Among them, the capital management firm Taiwania has been entrusted to manage the NTD$6 billion (US$200 million) Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Investment Fund set up by the National Development Council, which is the biggest support for Taiwan and Europe to deepen their economic and trade relations. Taiwania General Manager David Weng also accompanied the delegation in the hope of finding new bids to match new innovations and technological co-operation among enterprises.
The delegation will strengthen bilateral relations with the Czech Republic in the areas of semiconductor industry and talent development, 5G, scientific research, talent recruitment and exchange, and promote cooperation and exchange between semiconductors and universities in the two countries. In addition, Chunghwa Telecom will discuss with local enterprises on topics such as 5G and explore opportunities for cooperation.
Poland is located in the centre of Europe, the largest market in Central and Eastern Europe, and has a strong automotive manufacturing industry. Recently, the Ministry of Economic Affairs also visited Poland to discuss co-operation between the two countries on issues such as the supply chain of core industries, energy, and innovative products and technologies. Currently, Taiwanese companies are investing in Poland mainly in the fields of information and communications, bicycles and their components, and automobiles and their components.
The CEE Investment Fund has evaluated more than 100 investment applications from the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Slovakia, focusing on strategic areas such as semiconductors, biotechnology and healthcare, satellites, finance, electric vehicles and optical lasers. Currently, the company has invested EUR 7 million in Lithuania's innovative laser technology and biotechnology company, EUR 11 million in Slovakia's 3D scanning system and smart city company, and USD 5 million in the Czech Republic's virtual reality developer.
