I recently posted a photo on Instagram of my family celebrating my youngest daughter’s birthday at one of her favorite restaurants, Saffron 46, enjoying crispy samosas and scallops in curry while the Taipei 101 skyscraper was twinkling in the background. A friend in New York commented: “Wow, you get to go out to eat in…
Companies are trying to figure out how best to respond to new and unique challenges, while staying vigilant about the unexpected. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, wreaking havoc on economies throughout the world, companies are struggling to come up with ways to keep business operational, as well as employees and clientele safe. Taiwan,…
Ban on Official Use of Zoom The Executive Yuan in April made Taiwan one of the first countries to prohibit use of popular videoconferencing software Zoom for official government communication. In many government agencies, officials are increasingly working from home owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they will no longer be allowed to use the…
The COVID-19 pandemic is taking an unprecedented toll on the global economy and human lives. Yet it is also inspiring the innovative application of new technologies to research the disease’s origins, treat it, and manage its spread. Nowhere has this been seen done more effectively than in Taiwan, where the government has used AI and…
While the COVID-19 menace continues to present a threat to global health on a scale not seen in generations, President Donald Trump has suspended U.S. funding for the World Health Organization and even mused about establishing a rival body. The U.S. is the largest contributor to the WHO, normally providing nearly half a billion dollars…
President Tsai’s Pandemic Diplomacy In early April, President Tsai Ing-wen announced a new diplomatic initiative in an attempt to turn Taiwan’s success in battling the coronavirus into a geopolitical win, despite China’s efforts to isolate Taiwan politically. Noting that Taiwan had transformed from being an importer of facemasks to the world’s second largest producer, she…
Pfizer has called on the biopharmaceutical industry to join the company in committing to unprecedented collaboration to combat COVID-19. “In this troubling time, Pfizer is committed to doing all we can to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Albert Bourla, the company’s Chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “Many companies, including Pfizer, are working…
Once Taiwan’s second city and a major industrial hub, Kaohsiung has seen better days. Now it hopes to make a comeback by increasing investment in innovative and eco-friendly industries and boosting tourism. Nothing better symbolizes Kaohsiung’s economic ups and downs than its harbor. Thirty years ago, the southern city ranked among the world’s top-three busiest…
For all its horrendous implications, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought Taiwan the rare opportunity to gain widespread acknowledgment and respect around the globe for its accomplishments. Few major news organizations maintain full-scale bureaus on the island, and Taiwan normally receives only occasional attention from the international media. But the scourge of COVID-19 thrust Taiwan into…
In recent weeks, Western media outlets have given considerable attention to speculation about the impact the COVID-19 crisis might have on Chinese governance once the situation has been brought under control. Few, if any, however, have looked at the consequences for Taiwan. With its isolation from much of the international community, including such crucial organizations…
