December 2024
Taiwan National Science and Technology Council Announces Second Wave of the National Core Key Technology Protection List
December 2024
David Hung and Aaron Chen
I. Background Overview
To ensure Taiwan's national security and maintain industrial competitiveness, measures have been implemented to strengthen the protection of trade secrets related to national core key technologies, preventing the leakage of sensitive information abroad and safeguarding industrial interests. Relevant legal frameworks for Taiwan’s core key technologies were progressively enacted in 2023[1]. Articles 3(3) and 3(4) of the National Security Act define and establish guidelines for the identification of “National Core Key Technologies”.
On November 14, 2023, the National Core Key Technology Review Committee convened for its inaugural meeting. Subsequently, on December 5, 2023, the Executive Yuan announced the first batch of the National Core Key Technology Protection List, which includes 22 technologies across various fields, including national defense technology, space, agriculture, semiconductors, and information security.
II. Progress: Announcement of the Second Batch of the National Core Key Technology Protection List
In response to expanding international industrial trends, including the broader prohibitions of the U.S. CHIPS Act’, and to maintain a competitive advantage, the Executive Yuan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) convened an industry-government-academia symposium on October 29, 2024. On November 1, 2024, the NSTC announced a draft of the second batch of the National Core Key Technology Protection List. This draft introduces 10 additional technologies across the space, quantum science, semiconductors, and energy sectors[2]:
1. Design and manufacturing technology for launch vehicle propulsion systems capable of delivering small satellites into orbit.
2. Flight attitude determination and control technology for launch vehicles delivering small satellites into orbit.
3. Qubit design and process technology.
4. Design and process technology for low-temperature semiconductor chip circuits.
5. Chip design technology for millimeter-wave gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier monolithic microwave integrated circuits.
6. Manufacturing technology for GaN semiconductors used in high-frequency power amplifiers.
7. Manufacturing technology for silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors used in high-voltage power devices.
8. High-performance chip design technology for artificial intelligence computation.
9. Design technology for high-bandwidth and high-density small chip interconnect circuits.
10. Single-cell design, chemical synthesis, and manufacturing technology for high-energy-density, long-cycle-life secondary battery cells.
Including the 22 technologies from the first batch, the National Core Key Technology Protection List now encompasses a total of 32 technologies. Given the necessity to protect public interests, the draft of the second batch of core key technologies reached the end of its public consultation period on November 15, 2024. The National Core Key Technology Review Committee is expected to convene by the end of 2024 to finalize the recognition of the newly added items, which will then be submitted to the Executive Yuan for official announcement.
[1] For a detailed introduction, please refer to the Firm’s Newsletter：Partial Amendments to the Act Governing the Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area via Presidential Directive (Taiwan), Draft Regulations Related to the Determination of National Core Key Technologies Pre-announced by the NSTC of Taiwan, Formal Implementation of the Legal Regime for National Core Key Technologies (Taiwan), Geopolitics and Legal Risks – Legal Framework of the National Core Key Technologies (Taiwan).
[2] Details of the second batch of the National Core Key Technology Protection List can be found on the NSTC website: https://www.nstc.gov.tw/folksonomy/detail/ab71317e-c22e-467a-b3a0-7515aa2bfe6e?l=CH&utm_source=rss.
The contents of all materials (Content) available on the website belong to and remain with Lee, Tsai & Partners. All rights are reserved by Lee, Tsai & Partners, and the Content may not be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred in any form or by any means, except with the prior permission of Lee, Tsai & Partners.
The Content is for informational purposes only and is not offered as legal or professional advice on any particular issue or case. The Content may not reflect the most current legal and regulatory developments. Lee, Tsai & Partners and the editors do not guarantee the accuracy of the Content and expressly disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or permitted to be done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance upon the whole or any part of the Content. The contributing authors' opinions do not represent the position of Lee, Tsai & Partners. If the reader has any suggestions or questions, please do not hesitate to contact Lee, Tsai & Partners.
David Hung and Aaron Chen
I. Background Overview
To ensure Taiwan's national security and maintain industrial competitiveness, measures have been implemented to strengthen the protection of trade secrets related to national core key technologies, preventing the leakage of sensitive information abroad and safeguarding industrial interests. Relevant legal frameworks for Taiwan’s core key technologies were progressively enacted in 2023[1]. Articles 3(3) and 3(4) of the National Security Act define and establish guidelines for the identification of “National Core Key Technologies”.
On November 14, 2023, the National Core Key Technology Review Committee convened for its inaugural meeting. Subsequently, on December 5, 2023, the Executive Yuan announced the first batch of the National Core Key Technology Protection List, which includes 22 technologies across various fields, including national defense technology, space, agriculture, semiconductors, and information security.
II. Progress: Announcement of the Second Batch of the National Core Key Technology Protection List
In response to expanding international industrial trends, including the broader prohibitions of the U.S. CHIPS Act’, and to maintain a competitive advantage, the Executive Yuan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) convened an industry-government-academia symposium on October 29, 2024. On November 1, 2024, the NSTC announced a draft of the second batch of the National Core Key Technology Protection List. This draft introduces 10 additional technologies across the space, quantum science, semiconductors, and energy sectors[2]:
1. Design and manufacturing technology for launch vehicle propulsion systems capable of delivering small satellites into orbit.
2. Flight attitude determination and control technology for launch vehicles delivering small satellites into orbit.
3. Qubit design and process technology.
4. Design and process technology for low-temperature semiconductor chip circuits.
5. Chip design technology for millimeter-wave gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier monolithic microwave integrated circuits.
6. Manufacturing technology for GaN semiconductors used in high-frequency power amplifiers.
7. Manufacturing technology for silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors used in high-voltage power devices.
8. High-performance chip design technology for artificial intelligence computation.
9. Design technology for high-bandwidth and high-density small chip interconnect circuits.
10. Single-cell design, chemical synthesis, and manufacturing technology for high-energy-density, long-cycle-life secondary battery cells.
Including the 22 technologies from the first batch, the National Core Key Technology Protection List now encompasses a total of 32 technologies. Given the necessity to protect public interests, the draft of the second batch of core key technologies reached the end of its public consultation period on November 15, 2024. The National Core Key Technology Review Committee is expected to convene by the end of 2024 to finalize the recognition of the newly added items, which will then be submitted to the Executive Yuan for official announcement.
[1] For a detailed introduction, please refer to the Firm’s Newsletter：Partial Amendments to the Act Governing the Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area via Presidential Directive (Taiwan), Draft Regulations Related to the Determination of National Core Key Technologies Pre-announced by the NSTC of Taiwan, Formal Implementation of the Legal Regime for National Core Key Technologies (Taiwan), Geopolitics and Legal Risks – Legal Framework of the National Core Key Technologies (Taiwan).
[2] Details of the second batch of the National Core Key Technology Protection List can be found on the NSTC website: https://www.nstc.gov.tw/folksonomy/detail/ab71317e-c22e-467a-b3a0-7515aa2bfe6e?l=CH&utm_source=rss.
The contents of all materials (Content) available on the website belong to and remain with Lee, Tsai & Partners. All rights are reserved by Lee, Tsai & Partners, and the Content may not be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred in any form or by any means, except with the prior permission of Lee, Tsai & Partners.
The Content is for informational purposes only and is not offered as legal or professional advice on any particular issue or case. The Content may not reflect the most current legal and regulatory developments. Lee, Tsai & Partners and the editors do not guarantee the accuracy of the Content and expressly disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or permitted to be done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance upon the whole or any part of the Content. The contributing authors' opinions do not represent the position of Lee, Tsai & Partners. If the reader has any suggestions or questions, please do not hesitate to contact Lee, Tsai & Partners.
