Taipei, May 25 (CNA) Taiwan’s Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Huang Chung-chiou said Tuesday he hopes Taiwan and China will strengthen cooperation in the development of the biotech and medical device industry, so the two can seize every opportunity in this field.

Huang said the biotech and medical device industry is a booming business globally, with great potential for growth, and Taiwan and China should join forces to push the sector forward.

He made the comments in the opening ceremony of a two-day cross-Taiwan Strait biotech and medical device cooperation and exchange seminar held by Taiwan’s Development Center for Biotechnology (DCB) and China’s Cross Straits Medicine Association (CSMA).

Huang said both sides can complement each other in the sector as Taiwan has good talent in biotech research, enjoys high quality medical services and has a long history in industrial development, while China possesses a huge market and plentiful resources, and enjoys a fast growing economy.

In December 2008, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) set up a task force to kick off cross-strait co-development in herbal medicine.

Huang said the MOEA’s task force has served as an important springboard for both sides to develop the biotech sector, and hopes they can speed up the pace of cooperation.

He Luli, honorary chairman of China’s CSMA, said she wants to see more and more biotech exchanges between Taiwan and mainland China and hopes the exchanges will make a contribution to the health of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

(By Lin Hui-chun and Frances Huang) enditem/cs