More can be done, say experts, particularly through government incentives, education, and retrofitting old buildings. Green buildings would seem to be perfect for hot climates. They’re cool (literally) and energy-efficient. They save money and may even contribute to saving the planet. Why then aren’t more of Taiwan’s commercial and domestic buildings green? According to…
Tourism from China buoyed Taiwan’s hotel sector during former President Ma Ying-jeou’s eight years in office, spurring hoteliers to refurbish aging properties and add thousands of new rooms to the market. Resilient demand helped hotels post enviable earnings. That golden era ended swiftly with the inauguration of President Tsai Ing-wen in May. Irked by Tsai’s…
Developers recently have deserted the luxury segment for smaller units with lower selling prices Following a decade or more of booming business, housing construction in Taiwan has been stuck in the throes of a bearish market. Developers have been slashing prices to stimulate demand. As investment-oriented buyers have largely retreated from the market due to…
The Japanese property market is heating up as global buyers show increasing interest in prime areas of Tokyo, the world’s largest metropolitan area. Through May, the number of existing condominiums sold in Tokyo increased by 5.4% to 16,152 units year-on-year, while existing detached house sales rose by 14.3% on an annual basis to 8,224 units,…
High transaction costs are affecting foreign investors’ interest in Taiwanese real estate, while Taiwan’s institutional investors are looking abroad. As compared with some major Asian markets, Taiwan’s real estate market has been dominated by domestic investors. While freehold ownership is attractive to foreign investors, the low yield levels and a dearth of investment-grade properties are…
Low investment and lax regulation threaten the long-term survival of the domestic television industry. In January, the celebrated Taiwanese talk show Here Comes Kangxi went off the air after 12 seasons. Driven by the witty banter between hosts Dee Hsu (“Little S”) and Kevin Tsai, the program was one of the most popular talk shows…
Three operators with majority private-equity control are seeking approvals for changes in ownership. A decade or so ago, international private-equity (PE) firms looked on Taiwan’s major cable television enterprises as an excellent fit for their investment objectives. They saw opportunities to significantly improve the performance of companies in the cable sector to enable an eventual…
The National Communications Commission (NCC) surprised industry stakeholders in the fall of 2015 when, after years of study and preparation, it abruptly released the proposed text of a series of five new laws intended to promote digital convergence. The five draft acts cover electronic communication, telecom infrastructure and resources, cable systems, telecom services, and terrestrial…
After arriving late to the 4G game, Taiwan is determined to capitalize early on the next generation of mobile communication technology. Taiwan has ambitious plans for 5G, a new mobile communication technology with faster speeds, greater capacity, and lower latency (transmission delays) than current network systems. Telecom industry watchers expect the official 5G standard to…
A total of 80 English Teaching Assistants will serve in schools in six locations around Taiwan this year. This month 80 young college graduates from American universities arrive in Taiwan to take up positions for the coming academic year as English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) in public schools. The initiative, sponsored by the Fulbright Program, began…
