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…
A “nuclear free homeland” may be the goal of both major political parties. The difference is how – and how fast – to achieve it. Few would deny that nuclear power has been vital to Taiwan’s development into an industrial powerhouse. Always highly dependent on imported energy, primarily crude oil, Taiwan responded to the oil…
For Taiwan to maintain its competitive position, it will need to adopt new technologies and business models Taiwan has built itself into a major player in global technology supply chains through fast, efficient manufacturing of information technology (IT) hardware. It is a leading producer of semiconductors, solar cells, display screens, motherboards, and other mid-stream components,…
For the time being, the National Health Insurance program is on a solid financial footing. But demographic shifts will pose greater challenges in the years ahead as Taiwan becomes an aged society with the need for increased care for the elderly. What are some of the ways Taiwan can try to cope with those pressures?…
For years, the regulatory and funding environment in Taiwan was not conducive to fostering new startup enterprises. Many would-be Taiwanese entrepreneurs headed for Silicon Valley or other locations instead. But lately the situation has changed, in part because of government recognition that Taiwan was losing economic opportunities by not doing enough to encourage entrepreneurial initiative….
Taiwan needs to reinvent itself, and one potential solution is to develop a luxury goods market that is the envy of the region. This is part of a 6-part feature story on luxury goods in Taiwan: Aiming to be Asia’s Luxury Shopping Destination From Bags to Riches The Jewelry in Taiwan’s Crown Luxury Watches: More…
