My teenage daughter is interested in Taiwan’s political culture, so I took her to President Tsai Ing-wen’s election victory celebration. Amid the cheers, chants, and the occasional air horn, I heard something that I’ve never noticed before at a political event in Taiwan. It was the sound of people speaking Cantonese. A lot of Hong…
I love the sounds of the Feng Cheng restaurant, one of my favorite places to eat in Taipei. I try to sit by the kitchen door, so I can hear the stove, roaring as loud as a blast furnace smelting iron. There’s a crackle and sizzle as the cook tosses something – maybe shrimp –…
I began this year writing about gloom and doom. Global volatility and the U.S.-China trade war had me deeply worried about 2019. I thought my biggest challenge was to just stay positive. For sure, there’s still plenty of turbulence, upheaval, and uncertainty in the world. But looking back on the past 12 months, I’ve got…
When it comes to U.S.-China relations, the Trump administration speaks with several voices – often conveying conflicting messages. Many in the business world have been left feeling confused about the president’s overall strategy. But one voice has been clearer and more consistent than many others, and it belongs to Vice President Mike Pence. He gave…
I’ve attended many conferences this year. I’ve heard a lot of speeches. One of the most interesting and hard-hitting so far was a talk recently given by Charlene Barshefsky, the top trade negotiator for the U.S. from 1997 to 2001. She spoke last month at AmCham Hong Kong’s annual China Conference, which should be a…
Our members rave about their employees. They’re hardworking. Open to training. Have strong business ethics. They can be trusted. And they execute tasks well. But our Business Climate Survey this year identified some areas that could be stronger. They include English ability and communication skills. Creativity and the ability to innovate. An international mindset. And…
If you’re waiting for things to go back to the way they were a couple years ago, it’s not going to happen. That was one of the key messages we heard during this summer’s CEO Mission to Washington, D.C., formerly known as “The Doorknock.” Officials in the Trump administration along with Democrats and Republicans in…
People often ask me what’s my favorite destination in Taiwan, and I always tell them the East Coast – the entire East Coast. I love buying a train ticket from Taipei to Taitung and spending the better part of the day looking out the window at the stunning passing scenery – the mountains dropping off…
The Board of Governors recently approved some major updates to our mission statement. The “About the Chamber” page on our website now says, “AmCham works to improve the business environment in Taiwan, making it more open, innovative and prosperous for all companies that want to be globally competitive. We also serve as a vital bridge…
Forty years ago, AmCham Taipei members found themselves in the middle of a giant geopolitical shift – the new diplomatic alliance between Washington and Beijing. The ramifications for Taiwan were significant, creating serious challenges that are described well in this issue of TOPICS. The heroic way AmCham members stepped up to meet the challenges is…
