While 2020 was an extremely challenging year for individuals and companies throughout the world, one industry managed to experience substantial growth of an estimated 8.4% globally. That industry was semiconductors, producers of the tiny chips that power virtually all of the world’s electronic devices, handsets, tablets, and computers. And nowhere was the production of these…

The U.S.-China trade dispute has brought significant changes in markets and industries around the world, and at first it appeared that Taiwan would suffer a severe negative effect. In the early months of the dispute, the imposition of heavy tariffs and other trade barriers began impacting Taiwanese companies whose manufacturing processes take place mainly in…

Washington, D.C.-based Peter Cleveland, Vice President of Global Policy for the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), has an insider’s knowledge of how to frame and convey the interests and benefits of a multinational corporation to a broad audience. Given his many years on Capitol Hill, as well as his experience in the private sector working…

AmCham’s Human Resources Committee last year raised an important issue regarding how the Ministry of Labor (MOL) determines whether a given labor agreement constitutes an employment, mandate, or independent contractor relationship. The MOL makes this determination based on a 25-item checklist that includes such criteria as whether the business entity provides certain labor benefits; whether…

Finding effective solutions to the world’s health issues requires novel, holistic approaches and collaborative ingenuity. Healthcare companies must therefore increasingly shift their focus to the research and development of medical technologies, biopharmaceuticals, and innovative therapies to treat conditions and diseases that are difficult or nearly impossible to tackle using traditional medicines. Such a reality is…

A bi-weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS Semiconductor and automotive chips updates The global supply shortage of automotive chips has forced German automakers Volkswagen and Audi to halt production, prompting the German Economics Minister to look to Taiwan for help. Taiwan’s Economics Minister Wang Mei-hua…