Participation in international trade agreements, whether bilateral or multilateral, would benefit Taiwan’s economy and reduce its excessive dependency on China. But entry into some pacts is more likely to be feasible than others. In mid-April, China announced it would start investigating whether nearly 2,500 Taiwan export products conform to its fair-trade rules. The products to…

The government, together with large corporations, has launched initiatives to help small and medium-sized enterprises address the challenges of digital transformation, stringent ESG requirements, and intergenerational management systems. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which represent 99% of all enterprises in Taiwan, have been cited as a linchpin to the country’s rapid post-war development. Yet SMEs…

Geothermal power could aid Taiwan in reaching its green ambitions by providing a reliable baseload energy source, but only if the government is willing to share initial development risks. In 1977, Free China Review (now Taiwan Review) published an article about the island’s electricity mix and the prominent role of nuclear power in providing Taiwan…

The next big thing in nuclear power just might be small – Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), that is. The global buzz about these smaller, more advanced reactors with improved safety characteristics has reached Taiwan. The question is, would it be enough to convince the Taiwanese to give nuclear energy another chance? “The inherent safety features…

After several high-profile blackouts raised concerns about Taiwan’s grid stability, Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) in September last year announced it would invest TW$564.5 billion (US$18 billion) in the grid over the next decade. Investments will focus on resilience, decentralization, modernization, and strengthening of the electricity system. The expansion of smart devices, such as smart grids…

Government and business are taking action to conserve water and raise artificially low prices in response to the threat of an increase in droughts. After more than a quarter of a century without any price increase, water is finally becoming more expensive for some enterprises in Taiwan. Since February 1 this year, as part of…

Taiwan’s increased reliance on LNG and the recent steep rise in the cost of the fuel in global markets are putting growing financial pressure on Taipower. “Taipower cannot be allowed to collapse.”   Those were the words of Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua on March 17 when she was questioned at the legislature about her…

Market woes in China and geopolitical tensions have caused Taiwanese banks and other financial institutions to gradually draw down their cross-Strait exposure. In the first half of the 2010s, Taiwanese financial institutions viewed China as the most promising international market. They had few opportunities to expand in their saturated home market and hoped to boost…

In the wake of significant losses incurred by users of the collapsed FTX exchange, questions arise as to whether minimal regulation focused on preventing money laundering is still sufficient. Taiwan’s financial services sector is known for its conservatism, and its regulators for their caution. These factors usually help reduce financial risk and protect investors.   But…

Fraud rings will go to great lengths to trick both Taiwanese citizens and foreign nationals into forking over their hard-earned money, as I found out the hard way. However, there are several ways you can protect yourself, assist efforts to combat this illegal activity, and help those often trafficked and forced into such work by…