
Two issues from 2023 have received revised evaluations.
Each year when AmCham Taiwan releases the latest edition of its Taiwan White Paper, the Chamber’s committees assess the degree of progress on the issues they raised in the previous year’s volume. At the launch of the 2024 White Paper this June, it was announced that of the 95 specific issues cited in the 2023 volume, five had been assigned to the highest category – “Solved” – while another 25 were rated as “In Good Progress.”
Upon review, however, AmCham has now redesignated two issues from the Transportation and Logistics Committee from “Solved” to “In Good Progress.” The first was the committee’s Suggestion 1: “Promote vehicular automation and connected mobility by setting relevant regulations harmonized with international practice.” During the follow-up progress, committee members commended the Ministry of Transportation and Communications for urging the Vehicle Safety Certification Center (VSCC) to explore harmonizing the pertinent Taiwan regulations with those of the United Nations, but noted that the VSCC did not act on all the proposed changes while imposing additional measures regulating the adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems.

Suggestion 4 from Transportation and Logistics was “Ease warehouse construction regulations to foster smart warehouse development.” In this case, the committee gave credit to the National Fire Agency for reconsidering regulations on fire prevention in automated warehouses. More broadly, however, the committee concluded that much more work is needed to set industrial standards and practices appropriate for the era of smart logistics.
Of the three remaining “Solved” issues, two were from the Banking Committee. Regarding the suggestion “Relax amount caps on foreign bank branch and subsidiary bond repo transactions which limit the ability to effectively meet market demand and risk-manage foreign currency bond reverse repo exposure,” the committee noted that in July 2023 the Financial Supervisory Commission announced that bonds sold to the bank’s head office, regional headquarters, or parent company with a repurchase condition will be excluded from the trading restrictions if the bonds are purchased with a resale condition and sold on a back-to-back basis.
The other Banking issue called for the exemption of Formosa Bond liquidation providers from two-way quote requirements. Resolution of the issue took the form of amended regulations by the Taipei Exchange (TPEx), allowing issuers of international bonds with an issuance tenor of seven years or less and an issuance amount of or below US$20 million to provide a “reference quotation” instead of two-way quotes.
Also rated as “Solved” was the Tobacco chapter’s suggestion: “Implement effective measures to combat illicit cigarette trade.” Industry representatives said that the Customs Administration and other government agencies enhanced border controls by increasing inspections and utilizing advanced technologies such as X-rays and sniffer dogs to detect smuggled cigarettes, conducting public education campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers and legal consequences of buying illicit cigarettes, and engaging in intelligence sharing and joint operations with local governments. The impact of these measures was seen in the volume of illicit cigarettes seized by authorities, as well as surveys on the prevalence of illicit cigarette use among the population.
“AmCham is now well into the process of discussing the more than 90 suggestions in the 2024 White Paper with the relevant government authorities,” says Chamber President Patrick P. Lin. “We’re confident that those suggestions for further improving the business climate and bringing Taiwan’s regulatory regime fully in line with international practice will receive serious attention – and that next year we will see a much higher number of issues that can be checked off as solved.”