What opportunities are available for physics PhDs in Asian countries?

[QuarkCharmer]

I'm currently finishing up a BS in physics, specializing in Optics. However, I am not really sold on attending grad school in Optics. In fact, I am pretty happy with most any field of physics. Over the past few years I have been learning Mandarin, and I was wondering what the job situation was like for physics phd's in Asian countries. It is my understanding that both have fairly booming semiconductor industries.

It's been very difficult to find ANY information on jobs abroad that aren't teaching English (apparently teaching English abroad is a big thing for some people, and any keyword I use on an internet search yields these results). Does anyone have any experience with physics/engineering jobs in Taiwan or the like? I'd really like to perfect my Chinese when I eventually finish school, and tying work or a grad program into language study seems like the way to go for me.\

Additionally, are there any decent graduate programs available? What do western academic institutions and companies think about a person with a BS from the U.S. and a PhD from a elsewhere? (Just curious, I plan to finish my PhD in the states).

 

[R.Mesri]

The job market for physics PhDs in Asian countries varies depending on the specific city and industry. Generally speaking, the semiconductor and technology industries have the most demand for physicists in Asia. In Taiwan, for example, the Hsinchu Science Park is a major hub for many international tech companies, and many of them are looking for physicists with PhDs.In terms of graduate programs, there are some excellent universities in Asia offering physics degrees such as Tsinghua University in Beijing, China; the National University of Singapore; and the University of Tokyo in Japan. These universities often offer research opportunities and internships that can help you develop your skills in physics and related fields.In terms of how western academic institutions and employers view a PhD from an Asian university, there are no hard and fast rules. Generally speaking, they will take into account the quality of the institution, the type of research you did, and the impact it had in the field. If you have a good track record of accomplishment and a strong reputation, you should be able to find job opportunities in both academia and industry.