Cross-strait cooperation touted in hardware, software development

Cross-strait cooperation touted in hardware, software development

Category

Hardware

Visiting Microsoft Corporate Vice President Zhang Yaqin suggested yesterday that T

aiwan and China should cooperate in the information technology sector, with Taiwan's mature hardware manufacturing industry complementing China's rapidly growing software sector.

Zhang made the suggestion at a forum in Taipei at which he appeared along with Ray Chen, president of Taipei-based Compal Electronics Inc., the world's second-largest contract maker of notebook computers, and John Hsuan, honorary vice chairman of United Microelectronics Corp., the world's second largest contract chipmaker.

During the discussion, Zhang predicted the IT industry will follow five major trends in the future, including the development of an increasingly powerful "internetized" personal computer, and the expansion of multiple PC functions in communications, content and entertainment.

He also expected PCs will be built with balanced high-performing data storage, calculation and broadband capabilities, and believed software would be developed to enable its integration with customer services.

Such capabilities will provide users with more open and flexible application models, Zhang said.

The Microsoft executive anticipated that there will be another group of 1 billion people using PCs in the next 5-10 years, and that the development of the IT sector will center in emerging markets in Asia.

Addressing IT manpower availability in different markets, Zhang said China produces 300,000 IT graduates each year, who are mostly young and have potential.

Although the IT sector in the United States is mature, with intense competition among computer professionals for jobs, Zhang foresees that it will face a shortage of top caliber IT people in the next 10-20 years because America's top students are more interested in pursuing business and law degrees than IT studies.

As for Taiwan, Zhang said it is competitive in technological innovation in hardware manufacturing but has paid little attention to basic research, including in the areas of marketing and industrial design.

If Taiwan acts in concert with China, the separate IT development of the two sides will be accelerated under a "win-win" scenario created by integrating their individual hardware and software capabilities, Zhang said.

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/china-taiwan%20relations/2008/07/
29/167581/Cross-strait-cooperation.htm