Of the five shortages in Taiwan, land is perhaps the most obvious. Taiwan is only 36,000 square kilometers in area, two-thirds of it made up of steep mountains and hills where earthquakes and typhoons – and accompanying landslides – are relatively common, leaving them mostly undeveloped. The western plain is therefore home to most of…
Progress in developing renewable energies has been slower than targeted, but the pace is now expected to quicken. Among the Five Shortages identified by Taiwan’s Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI) and currently being addressed by the government in a series of policy initiatives, electrical power is seen as the most crucial. Taiwan’s generating capacity…
Low salaries and poor career prospects leave Taiwan’s pool of talent and youth vulnerable to China’s advances. When Eileen Chang’s university professor told her about an internship at an entertainment and sports company in Wuhan in central China, she was immediately intrigued. Chang (not her real name) had heard that salaries would likely be higher than…
The Five Shortages refers to Taiwan’s lack of sufficient land, water, power, manpower, and talent to meet its need for continuing economic growth. The term was first coined by the Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI) in its 2015 white paper, and the umbrella organization of Taiwanese manufacturing associations continues to call upon the government…
Lack of exercise and poor diet are among the main reasons for the prevalence. Last year my family and I moved into an apartment building with a small gym. There are treadmills, an elliptical trainer, an exercise bike, and dumbbell sets – enough equipment for a full workout. It’s almost like having a private gym…
Is overconsumption of refined sugar causing health problems in Taiwan? The refrigerators in Taiwan’s 24-hour convenience stores are brimming with sugary drinks, and not just the sodas and energy drinks sold globally. There are also dozens of Taiwan’s own brands of sucrose-laden fruit juice, tea, coffee, dairy, and soy beverages. Nearly every one of these…
Despite Taiwan’s success in treating hepatitis, the prevalence of liver illnesses continues to rise. Taiwan has made great strides treating liver disease, especially the inflammatory condition hepatitis, which is usually caused by viral infections but may also result from alcohol or drug abuse or autoimmune diseases. If left untreated, hepatitis may permanently damage the liver,…
An ongoing study suggests environmental factors in Taiwan are contributing to a rising number of cases in otherwise healthy non-smokers. After four doctors at National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) had suddenly collapsed on the job during the previous two years – with one of them failing to recover – the hospital in the second half…
The Taiwan government is encouraging the country’s insurance companies to tap into their NT$23 trillion (US$767 billion) in insurance funds to help support national infrastructure and development projects. At the top of the list is the green energy portion of the government’s “5+2” key innovative industry program. With the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) committed…
Revitalizing the creative industries could raise Taiwan’s global profile and boost the economy. In late 2001, Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hisen’s new film Millennium Mambo opened in Paris cinemas with great fanfare. MK2, one of France’s top independent film companies, showed the film in its Paris theaters alongside big Hollywood productions such as David Lynch’s Mulholland…
