Why do the glass fiber and carbon fiber industries develop differently in mainland China and Taiwan?
Political system
Mainland China:
Centralized system: The political system of the mainland is mainly centralized, and the government has strong policy guidance and resource allocation capabilities for high-tech industries. National strategic priorities have an important impact on industrial development. Government policies such as “Made in China 2025” have promoted the research and development and industrialization of high-performance materials such as carbon fiber.
Industrial policy support: Through policy funding support, tax incentives and special plans (such as the Ministry of Science and Technology’s high-tech research and development plan), breakthroughs in key material technologies are promoted.
Taiwan:
Democratic system: Taiwan’s democratic system makes enterprises more autonomous to a certain extent, and policies have relatively less intervention in the industry, but there are also policy support, such as policies to encourage the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.
International openness: Taiwan has been integrated with the international market earlier, benefiting from globalization, and has been exposed to international technical standards and market demands, which has promoted the development of the glass fiber and carbon fiber industries.
Economy
Mainland China:
Resource investment: The mainland has invested a lot of resources in high-performance materials such as carbon fiber, and has achieved significant growth in production capacity in recent years, but quality stability and cost control remain challenges.
Market size: The huge domestic market provides a wide range of application scenarios, but competition is also more intense.
Taiwan:
Economic structure: Taiwan’s economic transformation from agriculture to industry and then to high-tech industries has been relatively successful, especially the experience of the semiconductor and electronics industries, which has promoted the demand for high-performance materials such as carbon fiber and technological improvement.
Export orientation: Taiwan’s industrial development pays more attention to the international market, and glass fiber and carbon fiber products must meet international standards in terms of quality and application, which has promoted technological progress.
Social development
Mainland China:
Rapid urbanization: The urbanization process brings infrastructure needs, increases the demand for high-performance materials, but also increases attention to the environment and quality.
Integrity of the industrial chain: A relatively complete industrial system helps reduce production costs, but it may also lead to over-reliance on certain links.
Taiwan:
Social stability: A relatively stable social environment is conducive to long-term technological research and the development of industrial segments.
Environmental awareness: Taiwan has a high awareness of environmental protection and sustainable development, which affects the direction of material research and development and application.
Talent and education
Mainland China:
Talent training: There are a large number of engineering and technical talents, but high-end talents, especially those with international vision and experience, are relatively insufficient.
Education investment: The government has invested a lot in science and technology education, but there is still room for improvement in innovative education and international cooperation.
Taiwan:
Education quality: Taiwan’s higher education enjoys a high reputation in fields such as materials science and engineering, and has cultivated a large number of high-quality talents.
International exchange: Taiwan universities have more cooperation with international academic institutions, providing more international vision and technical exchange opportunities, which is crucial for technological innovation.
Analysis of reasons for Taiwan’s advantages
Technology accumulation: Taiwan’s technology accumulation in the semiconductor and electronics industries has directly or indirectly promoted the research and development and application of high-performance materials.
Market orientation: Taiwanese companies are more focused on the international market, and quality management and technological innovation are the key to competition.
Talent advantage: The education system and international exchanges give Taiwan an advantage in talent training, especially in applied research and market-oriented innovation.
Policy environment: Although not as strong as the mainland’s policy support, Taiwan’s policy environment is more flexible and encourages innovation and international cooperation.
Taking all these factors into consideration, Taiwan’s quality and technology in the field of glass fiber and carbon fiber are ahead of the mainland, mainly due to its earlier industrial transformation, high degree of internationalization, and advantages in education and talent training.