Formerly, people’s lives seemed to fit neatly into broad demographic categories: the first age of childhood, the productive years of the second age of working life, and the third age of retirement. But as an increasingly large segment of the population approaches retirement age, the question arises of whether enough resources will be available to…
Taiwan has one of the largest life insurance markets in the world, but does that mean the society is among the best protected? Unfortunately not, as both insurers and government regulators agree. In fact, according to experts, Taiwan faces numerous social challenges that are insufficiently met by the types of insurance currently in demand by…
With smartphone penetration rates exceeding 65%, Internet penetration at 80%, and a quarter of the population using at least three connected devices, Taiwan is among the most connected nations in the world. This connectivity is reflected in Taiwan’s surging e-commerce, which has grown on average at 10-20% annually for the past five years, reaching nearly…
In many respects, Taiwan is very well-positioned for smooth development of its insurance market. Among the positive basic characteristics are a well-educated and prosperous population with per capita national income last year of US$19,315. Calculated by purchasing power parity, per capita GDP comes to US$45,900. Taiwan also has a high gross national savings rate of…
In an increasingly unfavorable overall environment of declining exports and anemic domestic consumption, Taiwan needs to be taking advantage of all possible ways to reinvigorate its economy. One policy suggestion that appears on almost every list of potential solutions is to heighten Taiwan’s capability to attract foreign direct investment. Although FDI is often mainly thought…
The annual talks under the U.S.-Taiwan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) provide an invaluable platform for high-level dialogue on relevant issues in the interest of further strengthening the bilateral economic relationship. The Taiwan delegation to these TIFA Council meetings is headed by a Vice Minister of Economic Affairs and the American side by a…
Each year since 1996 – usually shortly after release of the Taiwan White Paper – AmCham Taipei has organized a week-long “Doorknock” mission to Washington, D.C. to exchange views with U.S. government executive agencies, Congressional offices, think tanks, and others concerned with U.S.-Taiwan bilateral economic relations. The trip is always extremely useful. It gives AmCham…
The June issue of Taiwan Business TOPICS includes the annual Taiwan White Paper, an assessment of Taiwan’s business climate in both the macro level and sector by sector. Download it here. Foreword In recent years during the preparation of the annual Taiwan White Paper, AmCham Taipei has reviewed the degree of progress on the various…
As regular readers of this publication are well aware, the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei is convinced that Taiwan’s participation in the emerging regional trade grouping known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will be absolutely essential for the future well-being of this economy. Exclusion from the TPP in the years ahead will diminish the…
AmCham Taipei had expected that by the time this April issue of Taiwan Business TOPICS was published, the 2015 TIFA Council meeting under the U.S.-Taiwan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) would already have been conducted. The 2013 round of those bilateral trade negotiations was held in March that year in Taipei, and the 2014…
