The crisis in Ukraine has sparked discussions among policymakers in Taiwan on how to enhance the island’s defense capabilities, including through a recently intensified reservist training program and proposals to lengthen the conscription period. A key takeaway for many is that training, motivation, leadership, mobility, and flexibility are just as much key factors in defending…

Since 2006, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has offered on-demand IT infrastructure services to businesses in the form of web services – also known as cloud computing. This model of IT eliminates the need for businesses to procure or purchase their own IT infrastructure in advance of anticipated business needs. AWS technology replaces upfront capital expenditures…

The island’s world-leading ICT and semiconductor sectors have come under the spotlight following a series of high-profile cyberattacks. In late March, Taiwanese tech hardware giant Acer reportedly was the victim of a ransomware attack – a type of cyberattack in which money is demanded in exchange for hacked sensitive data. According to media reports, the…

A weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS Higher growth forecasts meet concerns of overheating As the first quarter comes to a close, many economic institutions are raising their forecasts for Taiwan’s 2021 economic growth. On March 24, the Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute projected annual GDP growth…

The European Union (EU)’s new data protection regime, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), will come into force on May 25, with huge implications for how global businesses, including those in Taiwan, handle personal data. The GDPR, which succeeds the Data Protection Directive of 1995, aims to harmonize data-protection regulations across the EU. But the…

Declaring that “information security is national security,” President Tsai Ing-wen’s administration has made considerable progress fulfilling promises to beef up Taiwan’s cybersecurity defenses as well as to spur development of the home-grown cybersecurity sector. A Department of Cybersecurity was established in 2016 as an official unit under the Executive Yuan, upgraded from its previous incarnation…