The number of approved patent applications filed by Taiwan in U.S.A. ranks the 2nd in the world

The proportion of research & development (“R&D”) funds invested by Taiwan is increasing year by year.  The number of patent applications approved in the U.S. per million populations in Taiwan ranks the 2^nd in the world, next to the U.S. only. The proportion of R&D expenditures in Gross National Product has ranked the 9^th in the world. This fact shows that the proportion of Taiwan’s R&D expenditures is almost equal to those of advanced countries.

Mr. Gong Ming-Xin of Taiwan Institute of Economic Research indicated that Taiwan had substantially increased the proportion of R&D in hi-tech industry between 1997 and 1999.  The major focus was in information, communications and electronics fields.  The number of approved patent applications in semi-conductor field ranked 12^th in 1999.  However, the number of such applications reached 1,578 in 2001 and leaped to the 3^rd in the world, next to the U.S. and Japan. Nonetheless, Taiwan still needs to work hard given that it falls behind South Korea in information and biotechnology fields.

Source:China Times 08/24/2002