The global sensor industry could get a boost from a major new initiative recently announced in Wuxi, China by Premier Wen Jiabao. According to Steven Yang of WXICC, the Chinese government is determined to “spare no effort to develop the sensor industry” and has established this program to attract foreign and domestic sensor companies to Wuxi in Jiangsu province. Wuxi is just 25 minutes from Shanghai via the new super-high-speed train, planned for 2010.
Wuxi is well-known as the cradle of China’s semiconductor industry, and it remains the most concentrated area in China for the integrated circuit industry. Building on the city’s platform in the IC industry, Wuxi is now targeting the sensor industry. According to CCTV and Wuxi News, Wuxi will invest over US $ 500 million to develop infrastructures, services, and subsidies for sensor companies, including a new 20 km2 “Sensor Park”. Wuxi is already home to 53 sensor companies, including MEMSIC. Over the next 5 years, officials and industry leaders in Wuxi will build a national “Sensor Technology Center” and will work to attract 35 R&D institutes and over 500 sensor companies to Wuxi.
