One of Taiwan’s biggest struggles is getting its voice heard in a noisy world. That’s partly because so few global news companies have offices here staffed with full-time, seasoned correspondents. Many of the big-named media brands – AP, Dow Jones, Reuters – slashed their budgets and started closing or drastically downsizing their bureaus in Taiwan…
Going through the magazine archives is a reminder of what has changed – and what hasn’t – over the past half-century in the Taiwanese economy and environment for multinational business. This is the 434th issue of TOPICS magazine published by AmCham Taipei. Launched as a bimonthly publication in November 1970 – half a century ago this year – the magazine was then known…
If not for TOPICS, much of AmCham Taipei’s past – including the story of the Chamber’s founding – would likely be unknown to us. In fact, aside from what was later written about in the magazine, very little information survives about the organization’s activities and leadership from the period before TOPICS began publication in late 1970. Fortunately, details of…
The second annual U.S.-Taiwan Liver Health Forum, held November 15, 2019 at the Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, was a collaboration between AmCham Taipei and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) as part of its [email protected] campaign. The campaign’s theme for November was Innovation and Entrepreneurship Month, a fitting background for the forum, where a…
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…
Participants in AmCham Taipei’s cocktail reception marking the 68th anniversary of the Chamber’s birth in 1951 enjoyed a spectacular view from The Penthouse on the 16th floor of the eslite Hotel, a delicious selection of canapés, freeflowing wine and Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch, raffle prizes, and stimulating conversation. The event on September 19 was sponsored…
AmCham Taipei’s 2019 Hsieh Nien Fan banquet, held April 10 at the Grand Hyatt Taipei, paid tribute to the Taiwan Relations Act on its 40th anniversary. The law, which has enabled U.S.-Taiwan relations to continue smoothly without formal diplomatic recognition, was signed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter on the same date in 1979. The banquet…
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…
AmCham Taipei played a key supportive role when formal diplomatic ties ended 40 years ago. Forty years ago, it seemed inevitable to many that Washington would eventually establish diplomatic ties with Beijing. But one of the big unknowns was how this monumental shift would affect Taiwan. Before President Jimmy Carter finally announced the switch on…
AmCham also worked closely with the Taiwan government in 1979 to preserve – or refashion – important expat community institutions. The U.S. decision in late 1978 to cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan suddenly put at risk the ability of various American community institutions in Taipei to continue operating. Those entities’ legal status in Taiwan had…
