The Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) consists of the Tainan Science Park (TSP), Kaohsiung Science Park (KSP), Ciaotou Science Park, Pingtung Science Park, and the Chiayi Science Park. Located in Sinshih District, Shanhua District, and Anding District of Tainan, the TSP occupies an area of 1,043 hectares. The phase III expansion site of the TSP is on the southwest side of the TSP, occupying an area of 84 hectares. Located in Lujhu District, Gangshan District, and Yongan District of Kaohsiung, the KSP occupies an area of 567 hectares. The Ciaotou Science Park is located between Kaohsiung’s Ciaotou District and Yanchao District, occupying an area of 262 hectares. The Pingtung Science Park is located at the designated area of the THSR in Pingtung County, occupying an area of 74 hectares, while the Chiayi Science Park is located at Taibao Farm in Chiayi County, occupying an area of 88 hectares.
It was built as part of the “New Establishment of Science Parks” program for the “Six-year National Development Project,” proposed by the Executive Yuan on January 1st, 1991. At the Cabinet Meeting 2,388, on July 1, 1993, an “Economic Revitalization Project” was initiated and the proposal to “Establish the Southern Taiwan Science Park” was approved. In 1995, the STSP Development Plan (Phase 1 Site of the Tainan Science Park) was ratified in February and began in May, making a major stride in the development of the high-tech industry in Southern Taiwan.
In response to the STSP’s development schedule and the needs of the park enterprises, on July 8th,1997 “the STSP Development and Preparation Office” was set up to provide services related to investment recruitment, park planning and development operations. On January 25, 2003, the office was upgraded to “the STSP Bureau (the Bureau).”
During the economic boom of 2000, 80% of the land from Phase 1 was rented out, and there were still high demands for land. In May, 2000, the Executive Yuan granted the use of land of Taiwan Sugar Cooperation originally planned for the Smart Industry Park for the manufacturing of semiconductors and TFT-LCD makers in large zone areas in Lujhu District, Kaohsiung for the development of the STSP's Lujhu Science Park, and the plan was ratified on April 6. Lujhu Science Park was renamed as the Kaohsiung Science Park on July 27, 2004.
To demonstrate its determination, the government in Taiwan launched programs to accelerate and attract investment in Taiwan with public and private partnerships. According to the 12th “Action Plan for Accelerated Investment Programs in Taiwan” meeting, there was a need to expand the STSP’s reach to the development of new towns in Kaohsiung. Accordingly, the Ciaotou Science Park and the phase III expansion site of the TSP were respectively ratified by the Executive Yuan on December 6, 2019 and April 24, 2020.
On March 3, 2014, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) was established, and the Bureau was administered by the MOST.
On December 11th, 2019, when the Organizational Act of the Executive Yuan was passed, the former name of the Bureau was changed to the “Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau of the Ministry of Science and Technology.”
To demonstrate its determination, the government in Taiwan launched programs to accelerate and attract investment in Taiwan with public and private partnerships. According to the 12th “Action Plan for Accelerated Investment Programs in Taiwan” meeting, there was a need to expand the STSP’s reach to the development of new towns in Kaohsiung. Accordingly, the “KSP’s (Ciaotou) Phase II Preparation and Development Project” and the “ STSP’s Expansion of TSP Project” were respectively ratified by the Executive Yuan on December 6, 2019 and April 24, 2020.
Additionally, to create more synergy for existing industrial STSP clusters and to promote regional development, on January 3, 2022, preparation of Pingtung Science Park and Chiayi Science Park was ratified by the Executive Yuan to complete the building of the science and technology corridor in Southern Taiwan and strengthen regional economic resilience.
On July 27, 2022, to effectively incorporate the MOST into the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), the Bureau was renamed as the “Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau of the National Science and Technology Council.”