Taiwan and Slovakia have reached a significant milestone in technological cooperation with the inauguration of a joint semiconductor laboratory on Friday. This facility, part of a Taiwan-Slovakia Strategic Industry Development Plan, was unveiled by Vladimír Šimoňák, the State Secretary of Slovakia's Economy Ministry, and Lee Nan-yang (李南陽), Taiwan’s representative to Slovakia. This event symbolizes a new stage in their bilateral tech collaboration.

The opening of the lab was attended by Maximilián Strémy, the Rector of the Slovak University of Technology (STU), and Marek Radvanský, the Head of Department in the Slovak Academy of Sciences, highlighting the strengthening technology partnership between Taiwan and Slovakia. Šimoňák expressed gratitude to Taiwan for its support in developing Slovakia’s semiconductor industry, emphasizing the project's importance for bolstering the country’s chip sector and establishing a foundation for an innovation-driven economy.

He noted that Slovakia's strong automotive industry makes it well-positioned to collaborate with Taiwan in the semiconductor sector, potentially securing a competitive edge in Central and Eastern Europe. Despite representing only 2% of the EU’s population, this partnership could enable Slovakia to capture 5% to 10% of the region’s semiconductor supply chain, particularly in the design, assembly, and testing of power semiconductor modules.

Lee highlighted that Slovakia has developed a vital platform for power semiconductor solutions, crucial for regional integration and tech cooperation. The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) of Taiwan has been key in this effort. ITRI Deputy Director Tseng Yu-chieh (曾育潔) visited the new lab and committed to supporting Slovakia's semiconductor development and talent training.

The Taiwan-Slovakia Strategic Industry Development Plan, initiated in 2023 and set to continue until June 2027, aims to establish two semiconductor labs, cultivate industry talent, and enhance technical capabilities. Currently in its third phase, both parties have committed to expanding mutually beneficial projects.