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2012 ELECTIONS:
Leaked US cable praises TaiMed, Tsai Ing-wen
By Jake Chung / Staff Reporter
A US cable released by WikiLeaks said TaiMed Inc, a biotechnology company that
cooperates with US firm Genentech, was ¡§leading the way into new biotech.¡¨
In the cable dated Dec. 3, 2007, issued by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT),
then-AIT director Stephen Young also gave high praise to Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (½²^¤å), referring to her as a
¡§graduate of Cornell and the London School of Economics, [who] exemplifies the
new blood that Taiwan is relying on to remain competitive in the world market.¡¨
Tsai was ¡§optimistic about Taiwan¡¦s ability to excel in biotech,¡¨ the cable
said, adding that ¡§with their expertise and experience, they could provide the
impetus for Taiwan to develop a sector with as much potential as high
technology.¡¨
¡§Biotech accounts for up to US$800 billion in product value worldwide, of which
Taiwan -contributes only 0.6 percent, or about US$4.7 billion, compared with
US$200 billion for Japan, US$15.9 billion for Singapore and US$7.5 billion for
South Korea,¡¨ it said. ¡§Taiwan is trying hard to catch up with its regional
competitors.¡¨
Taiwan¡¦s economic future lies in biotechnology and given its large pool of
talent both at home and abroad, it has the potential to develop quickly, the
cable said.
The cable also mentioned Academia Sinica President Wong Chi-huey (¯Î±Ò´f), saying
he is ¡§an MIT graduate and genomics expert who worked at Scripps Research
Institute, before returning to Taiwan.¡¨
¡§Wong¡¦s interest is in chemical biology and new drugs, and he is the prime mover
behind Taiwan¡¦s efforts to attract biotech,¡¨ it added.
However, the cable also cited deficiencies in the education of Intellectual
Property Rights personnel, marketing and wages as being potential challenges to
the sector¡¦s development.
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