Taipei - German chemical giant Bayer AG plans to open two research and developments centres in Taiwan, with starting investment totaling about 6 million US dollars, a Bayer official said Wednesday.

Steffan Huber, president of Bayer Taiwan Co, made the announcement at a news conference in Taipei. It comes as more companies are expressing an interest in investing in Taiwan.

Over the next three years, Bayer will launch the global R&D centre for sports and leisure products in Taichung, in central Taiwan. Bayer will invest an initial 2 million to 3 million dollars.

The other centre, for function thin film, will be up and running by the end of 2009. Bayer expects to spend 1.2 million dollars a year for the first three years of operation.

In an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA), Huber said he was touched by the Taiwanese government's sincerity in helping foreign investors.

He said that, in his contacts with Taiwanese officials, they promised to help remove obstacles to investment. He said he has become more optimistic about Taiwan's investment environment.

He said, if Taiwan lifts the ban on direct cargo flights to China, it would greatly cut production time and costs, because Bayer also has factories in Shanghai and Shenzhen, in southern China.

On Tuesday, Taiwan signed investment agreements totaling 200 million dollars with 15 international companies, including China's e- commerce company Alibaba. com; Germany's Bayer AG, Siemens AG and Audi; and Corning Inc and Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co of the United States. (dpa)