Taiwan has always been a breeding ground for economic growth and innovation. Now, facing the dual challenges of the SARS epidemic and increasing migration of factories and production lines off the island, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) hopes to stimulate economic growth by supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Lai Sun-quae, director-general of the MOEA Small and Medium Business Administration (SMBA), believes that small and medium businesses are crucial to the continued economic development of Taiwan, saying, "Large companies will naturally move off the island because there are cheaper factors of production in China and elsewhere. That means lost production lines and jobs. We need SMEs to fill the void."
