The Kaohsiung Export Processing Zone at Cianzhen District was established in 1966 as the first-ever export processing facility in Taiwan. It was where the labor intensive economy thrived when Taiwan was at its fast-developing phase some decades ago. It has been indispensable in the industrial and economic development of the island. In recent years, due to the shift in the industrial structure, the industries in the area have switched to a more technology-intensive, high-tech field of development. These include the research and development of integrated circuits, LCDs, and PC parts.