As Taiwan strives to become a more inclusive society for foreign residents, it is heartening to see the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) working to level the playing field in the banking sector. AmCham recognizes and appreciates the FSC’s efforts to make the banking sector more accessible to foreign residents. The push for bilingual services and…
The U.S. Congress in December passed legislation creating the long-awaited Taiwan Fellowship Program to deepen the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan. Since the idea was first proposed more than a decade ago, AmCham Taiwan has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Program, which will enable the United States each year to send 10 federal…
For better or worse, Taiwan received unprecedented global interest in 2022. Coverage in internationally read publications, such as The New Yorker, The Economist, and The Atlantic, has been lengthy and detailed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates that the foreign media presence in Taiwan has increased by more than 30% since 2020. These developments, coupled…
Taiwanese seafood products were in October included by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in its List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, retaining the forced-labor designation it first received in 2020. According to the DOL, workers in the industry are hired by agencies that require them to pay recruitment fees and…
Two months after U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island, Taiwan continues to be a pertinent subject in Washington, DC. Following numerous Taiwan visits by politicians and legislators, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 by a 17-5 vote on September 14. The bill has…
The United States and Taiwan on August 17 announced that talks under the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade would begin this fall. The 11 trade areas that will be addressed in the negotiations include trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, anti-corruption, small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), agriculture, standards, labor, environment, state-owned enterprises, nonmarket policies and practices, and…
AmCham Taiwan extends its heartfelt condolences to the people of Japan following the death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in Nara last month. Abe was a longtime friend and fervent supporter of Taiwan and spared no effort in advancing Japan’s relations with Taiwan, both during his time in power and after…
Given an exponential rise in locally transmitted COVID-19 case numbers (the vast majority of which have been mild or asymptomatic), Taiwan’s leaders have quickly begun working to develop a policy of “coexisting with the virus.” As during the initial outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, some fumbles have occurred as that policy coalesces, but once…
The crisis in Ukraine has sparked discussions among policymakers in Taiwan on how to enhance the island’s defense capabilities, including through a recently intensified reservist training program and proposals to lengthen the conscription period. A key takeaway for many is that training, motivation, leadership, mobility, and flexibility are just as much key factors in defending…
In a recent online panel hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and joined by AmCham Taiwan President Andrew Wylegala, former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Barbara Weisel put Taiwan’s chances of concluding a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the U.S. at “zero,” at least in the near term. Weisel noted that the appetite in…
