Taiwan's government is pushing to build biotech into a second national growth engine next to semiconductors, a positive signal for Taiwanese drugmakers like PharmaEssentia.

• Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said Taiwan should be known not just for its chip "sacred mountain" but also for a biotech "sacred mountain" that protects the nation's health.
• The government promised ongoing support for the industry, including more international partnerships and combining new drugs with AI and smart-medicine tech.
• PharmaEssentia's homegrown drug Ropeg is now approved in 50 countries, including the US, EU, and Japan, for one type of blood cancer.
• The company won three approvals in three months this year to treat a second blood cancer, ET, including the world's first such approval in Taiwan.

Outlook: Expect more government backing for Taiwan's biotech sector as it tries to reduce the economy's reliance on chips alone.