Something quite remarkable took place at a meeting I attended recently between several AmCham committees and the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC). As is normally the case, the Chamber’s representatives conveyed outstanding issues with their government counterparts in Taiwan’s official language, Mandarin. The FSC’s presentation, however, was delivered in clear, insightful English.
For me, it was just the latest example of how things are changing in Taiwan and in our Chamber. When I first sat on the Board of Governors in 2010, the make-up of AmCham’s leadership was quite different, with foreign representatives of international companies often exceeding Taiwanese ones. That’s no longer the case. The same was true for the delegation that attended our annual Washington Doorknock trip, which this year was almost entirely Taiwanese, save for a few D.C.-based colleagues who graciously joined some of our meetings.
Even routine Chamber business has become increasingly localized, with most committee meetings held in Mandarin (though our admirably bilingual members can easily switch to English when needed). And many of our key events, including our annual Cancer Summit held late last month, are conducted in Mandarin as well — though we always have simultaneous interpretation on hand for non-native speaking attendees.
This reflects a broader shift. Overseas-headquartered companies are increasingly relying on local knowledge and expertise for roles ranging from entry level all the way up to the C-Suite. And for AmCham, that has been an enormous strength. Much of our work requires deep understanding of the complex regulatory system in Taiwan and relies on the personal connections our members have developed over the years with officials and policymakers in Taiwan’s government. Some very talented and dedicated foreigners have managed to do that, but not all can be expected to make such inroads.
The same shift in talent is evident across Taiwan more broadly. Years ago, before the global shocks of Covid-19 and the first U.S.-China trade war, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing were the places to go for many young Taiwanese looking to get a leg up in their careers. Job prospects there were plentiful, salaries were sometimes double or triple what someone could make at comparable positions in Taiwan, and the political situation was not so precarious.
But something shifted in the early 2020s. People began moving back to Taiwan and — crucially — staying here. A new generation of professionals and entrepreneurs who had once viewed the island primarily as a place where chips and tech hardware are manufactured for overseas clients, increasingly came to see it as a center of innovation and opportunity. Since then, the energy and enthusiasm for Taiwan have only grown. It doesn’t hurt that Taiwan’s economy has been booming, while China’s has been slowing down in recent years.
Those Taiwanese who do want to get work experience abroad are increasingly turning to the United States, and for good reason. Trade between the two sides is at a peak right now, and Taiwanese companies big and small are looking to get their piece of the pie with big investments in Arizona, Texas, and many other states.
As Taiwan and our Chamber continue to evolve, AmCham’s mission remains the same: to help international businesses succeed in Taiwan. Even as U.S.-Taiwan economic ties reach new heights, we will continue serving as that trusted bridge between Washington and Taipei — building stronger connections and advocating for greater recognition of Taiwan’s value to the United States.
