The victory of the Democratic Progressive Party’s Tsai Ing-wen in mid-January’s presidential election was no surprise; she had been leading in opinion polls for months. More unexpected was the scale of the triumph – and that of the DPP candidates in the legislative contests. Not only did Tsai win 56.1% of the vote in a…
The newly elected DPP government has stated its intention to strengthen Taiwan’s defense industry as a way to both enhance national security and expand the economy. Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology has already demonstrated its capability to develop various types of weaponry, including advanced missile systems, and the Aerospace Industry Development Corp. –…
The rising preference for foreign cars is boosting overall industry sales but presenting increased challenges for local automakers. Due to the depreciation of the yen and euro, imported vehicles have become more price competitive, and now account for a 37% market share. Luxury brands have been doing particularly well. While auto sales this year are…
The island enjoys a number of potential competitive advantages in the sector, including strong manufacturing and supply chain expertise. At a ceremony on November 24, Taiwanese airline EVA Airways announced a major expansion to its fleet through an agreement to purchase 24 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and two Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with the package valued at…
Some families choose one of the excellent international schools, while others prefer local public education for the Chinese-language benefits. As Taiwan has developed, it has attracted a number of long-term foreign residents. For those who are married and raising families here, the question arises: what kind of education do they wish to provide for their…
2015 did not bring the expected strong performance for the Taiwan economy. Growth for the year is now likely to come in at a disappointing level of under 1%. The outlook for next year seems better – but recent experience has shown that forecasts so far in advance are subject to too many variables to…
Expeditious reform of the public finance system is necessary to prevent mounting debt from crimping future economic growth. Taiwan’s public finances are increasingly strained by debt, aggravating the island’s fiscal woes as it struggles with flagging exports and weak GDP growth. Last year, the central government’s debt reached NT$5.28 trillion (US$161 billion). At 35.85% of…
With nearly 10 million international visitors last year, Taiwan is now establishing itself as a major tourism destination. Growth in tourist arrivals has been strong ever since Taiwan began allowing large numbers of mainland Chinese citizens to visit the island in 2008, and last year Chinese visitors accounted for 40% of the total. But going…
Despite flat-rate data packages pinching the margins of telecom operators and creating network congestion, Taiwanese consumers are still signing up for 4G in droves. Dony Wang is underwhelmed by Taiwan’s 4G LTE service. The project manager for a Taipei-based clean-energy company purchased an iPhone 6 for his wife last fall. Since then, his wife has…
Anti-nuclear sentiment has been matched by enthusiasm for renewable energy and efforts to help combat global climate change. On June 15, the Legislative Yuan passed the landmark Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act (GGRMA), clearly confirming Taiwan’s commitment to the fight against global climate change. The bill, which had been pending in the legislature since…
