Most member companies of the Chamber are optimistic about Taiwan’s economy and their own profitability over the next three years, but business leaders have serious concerns about energy, the labor law and the way regulations are made. Those were the major findings of the 2018 Business Climate Survey, conducted for AmCham by PwC Taiwan. The…
LABOR LAW AMENDED During an 18-hour overnight session, the Legislative Yuan approved amendments to the highly controversial Labor Standards Act that the government promises will provide greater flexibility for both workers and employers but which labor activists argue will lead to abuse of labor rights. The amendments include changes to the overtime calculation, with overtime…
FARGLORY FOUNDER FACES PRISON SENTENCE Farglory Group founder and chairman Chao Teng-hsiung is facing a 24-year prison sentence on charges of bribery and breach of trust involving several public construction projects. Following a four-month investigation. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office arrested 31 people including Chao, New Taipei City councilor Chou Sheng-kao, and Lee Shush-der, the Taipei…
Taiwan foresees heightened business opportunities, especially in areas related to the digital economy, green energy, and the biomedical sector. The annual Taiwan Business Alliance Conference organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is an effort to stimulate interest in investing in Taiwan among foreign and overseas Chinese enterprises. The 2017 Conference, held October 6…
Supporting a brand is difficult. Despite low margins, the OEM/ODM model brings in steady business. Factories of Hon Hai Precision (also known as Foxconn) and other major Taiwanese contract manufacturers are currently running at full capacity churning out the iPhone 8 and other new models launched by Apple. Economists regularly disparage Taiwan’s continued heavy reliance…
PV Taiwan Expo Highlights Green Energy The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), in cooperation with SEMI Taiwan and the Taiwan Photovoltaic Industry Association, hosted PV Taiwan 2017, Taiwan’s leading solar industry trade show, October 18-20 at the Nangang Exhibition Center. Taiwan has the world’s second largest solar cell manufacturing industry after China, with some…
Four countries edged past Taiwan in the 2018 Doing Business survey. In the 15th edition of the World Bank’s annual Doing Business report, released on October 31, Taiwan (or “Taiwan, China” in the World Bank’s nomenclature) slipped four notches from 11th place last year to 15th among the 190 economies surveyed. The four countries moving…
With the U.S. tech giant ready to launch three iPhone models this year, Taiwanese suppliers and transporters expect a big boost in business. The Taiwan technology sector is often criticized for lacking viable brands. In the consumer electronics category, the number of big names can be counted on one hand, and these companies have generally…
The flagging handset maker sold part of its mobile-phone business to Google and is expected to turn its focus to virtual reality. In early 2013, Gerald Fu decided to buy his first smartphone. He went with Taiwan’s HTC “because I thought it was better than a mainland Chinese brand and cheaper than an iPhone,” says…
TSMC Morris Chang to Retire in 2018 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Chairman Morris Chang, one of the most influential leaders in the global tech sector, announced that he will retire in June 2018. Chang, who came to Taiwan from the United States in the 1970s to head the Industrial Technology Research Institute, from which…
