Chen made the remarks at the opening ceremony for the 2007 Taiwan International Photovoltaic Forum and Exhibition, which will last for two days at the Taipei International Convention Center.

Following its successful debut in 2006, the Taiwan International Photovoltaic Forum and Exhibition has this year expanded in terms of exhibits and number of attendants, with 74 domestic and overseas companies invited and 110 booths set up.

Chen also noted that the linkage between the industry’s up- and down-stream has rapidly developed in recent years, with several leading enterprises, including Taiwan CPC Corp., investing heavily in silicon material production and other companies expanding production capacity for photovoltaic components.

On regulatory renewal, Chen said that the government has enforced several key statutes, including the one on promoting renewable energy, to encourage and facilitate the industry’s development.