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By Chen Cheng-hui / Staff reporter
The nation’s three major science parks last year posted a combined revenue of NT$5.8 trillion (US$182.6 billion), up 21.83 percent year-on-year and a new record, the National Science and Technology Council said in a report yesterday.
The council attributed the strong performance to continued growth in the semiconductor industry, driven by the strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips and the development of emerging technologies, such as generative AI and high-performance computing (HPC), the report said.
The Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區) saw a revenue increase of 12.25 percent annually to NT$1.7 trillion, Central Taiwan Science Park (中部科學園區) posted revenue growth of 9.29 percent to NT$1.13 trillion and Southern Taiwan Science Park (南部科學園區) grew 34.26 percent to NT$2.97 trillion, it said.
Photo courtesy of the National Science and Technology Council
Last year, the three science parks saw two-way trade increase 17.79 percent year-on-year to NT$6.88 trillion, also a new high, while investment totaled NT$177.6 billion, up 54.98 percent from the previous year, it added.
This year, the council anticipates a steady increase in the parks’ revenue, thanks to continued development of advanced semiconductor process technologies and AI applications, as well as manufacturers’ efforts to deepen customer relationships and enhance their international competitiveness, despite uncertainties created by US tariffs and global geopolitical risks, the report said.
Of the parks’ six major industries, the integrated circuit industry led in revenue, as robust demand for AI and HPC applications drove sales up 26.8 percent year-on-year to NT$4.83 trillion, the report said.
The optoelectronics industry ranked second, with an increase of 3.23 percent to NT$453.24 billion, benefiting from the surge in flat panel shipments brought about by US tariffs, and sales growth in uninterruptible power systems and electronic shelf labels, it said.
Revenue of the precision machinery industry grew 24.73 percent to NT$180.83 billion, as the AI boom boosted demand for automation systems, and precision equipment and components, the report said.
Biotechnology industry sales were up 11.73 percent to NT$51.96 billion, as medical device makers expanded to global markets, coupled with new drug developers’ effective marketing strategies and global market share gains, it said.
However, revenue of the computer and peripherals industry declined 14.55 percent to NT$191.72 billion, and that of the communications industry fell 13.57 percent to NT$64.58 billion, as firms shifted some operations to other regions as part of their global strategies and given geopolitical considerations, it said.