TAIPEI: Mainland investors showed interest in investing in Taiwan's LED industry during the first day of a cross-Straits LED forum yesterday.

The event in Yuanshan aims to establish the largest standardized market for LEDs in the world, presenting a prime opportunity for companies on Taiwan to secure lucrative orders, the Bureau of Energy, which organizes the conference, said.

The 80-strong mainland delegation is led by Feng Jichun, Director-General of the Department of High and New Technology Development and Industrialization under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The party includes representatives of 10 leading mainland LED manufacturers, such as Dalian Luminglight Science and Technology (DLST), Dongguan Qinshang Photo-Electric and Xiamen Sanan Optoelectronics (XSO).

Around 350 representatives from the industry in Taiwan are expected to attend the conference. They come from major companies like Epistar Corporation, China Electric Manufacturing Corporation, Delta Electronics, and Com2B Corporation.

Participants from both sides of the Straits are voicing optimism that the mainland's human and natural resources will create a perfect partnership for Taiwan's advanced technology.

Taiwan is the world's largest producer of LEDs, selling NT$54 billion ($1.6 billion) in 2008.

XSO General Manager Sun Ming said yesterday interaction between the two sides had taken place for some time, and his company would be very much interested in discussing the possibility of investing in Taiwan manufacturing, whatever the format, once policies are in place and opportunities arise.

Sun also said his company had been increasing its purchases from Taiwan. XSO buys motherboards, raw materials and equipment from Taiwan, then sells its end products to the island.

Sun stressed that Taiwan's LED production chain is basically complete, and the island's talents and standards of technology in this field are sufficiently competitive.

The mainland and Taiwan could very well complement each other in production, and there would be much room for cooperation in future, Sun noted.

Xiao Zhiguo, managing director and president of the mainland's biggest photoluminescent products manufacturer DLST, also expressed confidence in the quality and prices of Taiwan's LED industry. He pointed in particular to the island's improvement in equipment over the past two years.

Cooperation across the Straits, especially in patent matters, is conducive to rapid development of the LED industry, Xiao said, adding that his company would work together with many Taiwan companies in many areas from raw materials to chips.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 06/10/2009 page2)