(Taiwan) Taiwan delegation to BIO 2005 holds dinner with US counterparts in Philadelphia :: BiotechEast - Taiwan and China biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, ^¤å½s×, ^¤å×§ï ::

(By the Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Industries Program Office (BPIPO), MOEA)

20 June, 2005
Taiwan's delegation to BIO 2005, plus a select audience of East Coast US biotech leaders, business people and friends of Taiwan, took part in a special networking dinner in Philadelphia on Saturday night to celebrate the delegation's participation in the world's largest biotech-focused event, a four-day conference and exhibition that started on June 19th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Participants at Saturday night's Taiwan-US Biotech Seminar enjoy the dinner and networking opportunity.

The dinner event 'the Taiwan-US Biotech Seminar' was organized by the US-based Monte Jade Science & Technology Association and the Taiwan Bio-Industry Association. The Taiwan delegation to BIO 2005 is being led by the Taiwan's the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and is headed by Dr. Lin Ferng-ching, Minister of State.

Key note speakers at the evening's event included Johnsee Lee, President of the Taiwan Bio Industry Association, and Kevin Buchi, Chief Financial Officer at Cephalon, one of only a handful of profitable biotechnology companies in existance, with 2004 revenues of over US$1 billion. Also speaking to the gathering of over 200 guests was the Minister of State and co-convener of the Science & Technology Advisory Group (STAG), Lin Ferng-ching; director of IDB, Chen Chao-yih; US-based executives from Monte Jade, and a representative from the Pennsylvania State Governor's office.

Lin spoke of his excitement of leading such a strong delegation, 150 members strong, to the most important event of the global biotech calendar. Lin had arrived in Philadelphia just one hour previously, after spending the last few days in meetings in New York.

"The most important thing I can say after coming all this way is that I'm very enthusiastic and optimistic in promoting Taiwan as a center for biotechnology, and especially as a gateway to the rest of Asia," he said.

Lin was also one of the presenters during Sunday's International Country Seminars, where 16 countries with representation at BIO 2005 had the chance to talk up their respective strengths, achievements and advantages to an increasingly globally-focused biotechnology community.

Left to right: Chris Pak, Chairman of Monte Jade Science and Technology Association, Mid-Atlantic; Terry Cooke, President of Philadelphia-based consulting company GC3 Strategy; and former head of the commercial section of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT); Chen Chao-yih, Director of the Industrial Development Bureau, MOEA.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the end of the dinner event, IDB Director Chen suggested that it was the human element that was key to Taiwan's strong current showing and potential in biotech.

"Our success is all about people. It's in our human resources, in our large pool of highly-educated bio-scientists," Chen explained. He also said that Taiwan had a particularly strong opportunity to succeed in the field of medical devices, as this sector drew on Taiwan's existing strengths in IT and precision manufacturing.

While the IDB is responsible for many industrial sectors, not just biotechnology, Chen mentioned that his office is working particularly strongly with the island's life science community to encourage the sector's continued growth and development.

The IDB was originally established in 1970 to formulate strategy and policy for industrial development in Taiwan. The BPIPO serves as an integrating arm, implementing and promoting polices concerning the development of biotech in Taiwan.

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