Electronics--A New Giant

With abundant labor resources and sufficient electric power, Taiwan is considered a most suitable location for developing a labor-intensity electronic industry. From the beginning in 1961, the field has grown so rapidly that it has become the second largest industrial structure in the Republic of China. Both government assistance and manufacturers' efforts receive credit. The main products of the Taiwan electronic industry include: TV sets, radios, phonographs, recorders, calculators, household appliances, communication apparatus, digital watches and electronic components and parts. Ninety per cent of the production is for export. This year, the export volume may exceed US$1 billion according to estimates by the manufacturers.

Color TV sets have already replaced black and white ones in production and sales. The color TV sets are expected to become a new giant of the export trade in both numbers and value. Three slowly-developed electronic products--calculators, walkie-talkie sets and digital watches--are currently developing with an amazing speed. They became favorite products of the electronic industry during the economic recovery period. Electronic toys and clock radios also are gradually expanding their foreign markets. At the same time, manufacturers are now introducing high-level technical systems to strengthen the competitive capability of the Republic of China electronic industry products in the international market.