A. Employment Structure

Due to a weakening economy and the outflow of labor-intensive industries since 1991, there was a gradual decline in the number of people employed in the manufacturing sector. On the other hand, employment in the service sector increased rapidly. As for the relative proportion of the workforce engaged in various sectors in 1995, agriculture, industry, and services respectively employed 10.5%, 38.8%, and 50.7% of the population.

B. Major Industries and Products; Key Technologies

1. Manufacturing:

---Knowledge- and technology-intensive industries have been developed.

---There has been an effort to promote ten major emerging industries (communications, information, consumer electronics, semiconductors, precision automated machinery, aerospace products, advanced materials, special chemicals and pharmaceuticals, medical technology, environmental technology).

---Eight key technologies have been developed (electro-optics, software, industrial automation, materials applications, advanced sensors, biotechnology, resource development, energy conservation).

---In 1995 the R.O.C. was the world's third largest producer of computer hardware.

---Notable export products:

(1) Computer hardware products: monitors, motherboards, keyboards, mice, and scanners (holding the world's largest market share); printed circuit boards.

(2) Semiconductor products: integrated circuits, LED's

(3) Chemical feedstocks: polyester fibers, ABS resins

(4) Vehicles: high-end bicycles and components, motorcycles

(5) Metals: screws

(6) Machinery: sewing machines, molds, machine tools

2. Agriculture:

---New agricultural products include red drum and several other types of tender-fleshed food fishes.

C. Major Transportation Projects

---Railway tracks were relocated underground in the metropolitan

Taipei area. The Southern Connecting Railway was opened to service, thereby completing a railway system completely around Taiwan.

---A fiber optic communications system from Taipei to Hsinchu was completed and entered service.

---The new digital electronic automatic switching facility at the Taipei Railway Station was completed and entered service.

---The Railway Bureau's new computerized train scheduling system was completed and accepted for trial use. The Railway Bureau's computerized ticket sales system was completed; this system features a network linking all major stations and allowing the sale of tickets for all trains with reserved seating.

---Applications for and reporting of cargo loading and unloading at wharfs and warehouses, and ships' entrance and exit of port are now handled using computers. Report forms and transmission of information are handled through a new EDI system.

---Construction of the Taipei Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit System is underway.

D. Indicators of Technological Development

---The proportion of GNP devoted to research and development grew from 1.70% in 1991 to 1.80% in 1994

---The number of research personnel grew from 46,173 in 1991 to 55,405 in 1994.

---The number of approved domestic patents decreased from 13,555 in 1991 to 12,563 in 1994.

---The value of technology-intensive products as a proportion of all exports grew from 32.4% in 1991 to 47.0% in 1994.