According to TIPO's "Analysis of Patents Filed by Taiwan with the European Union, Japan, and the U.S. in 2005", while the number of patents filed and granted by the three patent offices have grown from previous years, Taiwan slipped out of the number three spot for the number of patents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and ranked fourth in 2005.
The United States is the primary country for Taiwanese filing patent applications overseas. In 2005, 16,617 (a 10.36% increase from 2004) Taiwanese applications were filed with the USPTO, putting Taiwan in fourth place for total applications filed by a foreign country. The number of South Korean applications to the USPTO has grown from 10,411 in 2003 to 13,646 in 2004, and paced ahead of Taiwan with 17,217 applications filed in 2005. Taiwanese applications to the Japan Patent Office (JPO) exceeds 3,000 each year, and put Taiwan in third place there in 2005 for applications filed, just after the U.S. (9,177 applications) and South Korea (5,990 applications). The number of Taiwanese applications with the European Patent Office (EPO) also increases annually, with 679 applications filed in 2005, just after Japan (21,461 applications) and South Korea (3,853 applications) for applications filed by Asian countries.
Even with a 16.84% decrease from 2004 in the number of patents granted by the USPTO to Taiwanese applicants, Taiwan remained in third place in 2005, with 5,993 patents granted, just after Japan (31,834 patents granted) and Germany (9,575 patents granted). Taiwan is in second place with 2,305 patents granted by the JPO in 2005, a 24.33% from 2004, just after the United States. A total 133 patents were granted to Taiwanese applicants by the EPO in 2005, a 17.70% increase from 2004.
Patents reflect a country or region's innovative activities and its knowledge-related prowess, and can be transformed into potential economic and production capability. Patents are granted for their novelty, utility, and inventive step; therefore, it can be said that their number and related factors are the best indicators of actual R&D results.
According to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data, the average R&D investment of OECD member country to GDP ratio in 2003, at 2.26%, was exceeded by Sweden (3.98%), Finland (3.48%), and Japan (3.15%). Form this, we see that countries lacking in natural resources should invest more in R&D, so as to lead innovation to economic growth. Even a technology giant like the U.s. invests no less than 2.6% per year; and, to boost national competitiveness, U.S. President Bush, in his 2006 State of the Union Address, announced a US$5.9 billion budget for the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) in 2007 to increase R&D spending, encourage industrial innovation, and strengthen compulsory education. The U.S. will further invest US$50 billion in R&D funds over the next decade, as well as US$86 billion in tax incentives; from this, we see that even a strong country like the U.S. does not take the battle of knowledge-based economies lightly.
To prepare for the ever-increasing global competition, Taiwan's Challenge 2008 National Development Plan aims to raise Taiwan's domestic R&D spending to GDP ratio to 3% in 2006, a goal that will require the joint effort of both the public and private sectors. Regardless of government efforts, Taiwan's people and industries must work together to invest in R&D, and encourage innovation and strengthen the nurturing of talent, in order to add to the nation's economic potential and elevate national competitiveness.
For more information on patent filed by Taiwan with The European Union, Japan, and the U.S. in recent years (Chinese only), go to: http://www.tipo.gov.tw/dataserve/dataserve/public/public_case.asp

[Traditional Chinese Version - 新聞稿 No. 46]