A major driver of the Taiwan economy, the retail industry has gained momentum from technological development, rising disposable income, and the entrance of international players. In the newly published 2017 Taiwan White Paper, the Retail Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei recommends practical steps for the government to take to improve the…
Through improved legislation, stricter enforcement, and the fast-tracking of intellectual property rights (IPR) cases through the court system, Taiwan has developed one of the strongest IPR protection regimes in the Asia Pacific region. While acknowledging the progress already achieved, however, the Intellectual Property & Licensing section of the newly published 2017 Taiwan White Paper of…
Computex, Taiwan’s premier trade show and one of the world’s largest computer technology exhibitions, celebrated its 37th anniversary this year. But when asked by a reporter at the closing press conference whether Computex is struggling to keep up with new upstart technology expos such as CES Asia in Shanghai and CommunicaAsia in Singapore, Walter Yeh,…
The Jinshan reactor 2 goes offline with a transmission line collapse. The last remaining operational nuclear reactor in Northern Taiwan – Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP 1) reactor 2 – was automatically shut down after one of the main transmission line towers at the plant collapsed during torrential rains on June 3. Taiwan Power Co….
Local authorities are pressing for Ching Chuan Kang to be upgraded to international airport status. Taoyuan Airport provides the majority of Taiwan’s international flight service. Taipei City’s Songshan Airport, Kaohsiung Airport, and Taichung Airport offer limited international service to Asian destinations. But since a flash flood disrupted service at Taoyuan Airport in June 2016, Taichung…
Given the downtown airport’s ownership structure and importance in serving Taiwan’s outlying islands, closing it would be problematic. Originally from Xindian, Alex Tsai is the manager of a bed and breakfast in the offshore island-county of Penghu and travels to Taipei up to five times a year to visit family and friends, shop, and take…
The 12-day competition in August will be largest sporting event ever hosted in Taiwan. Rarely does Taiwan have a moment to bask in the international spotlight, but a major such opportunity is coming this summer. From August 19 to 30, Taipei and neighboring cities will host the 29th Summer Universiade. Given that Taiwan inhabits a…
The government is seeking to strengthen trade, investment, tourism, education, and cultural relations with South and Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia may be close to Taiwan geographically, but Taiwanese traditionally tended to see its people as little more than a source of cheap labor. Even in academia, says Edwin Yang, an instructor in the College of…
Innovation is high on Taiwan’s agenda, and the Asia·Silicon Valley segment of the 5+2 Innovative Industries plan promises to launch Taiwan into the innovation value ecosystem, says National Development Council (NDC) Deputy Minister Kung Ming-hsin. Innovative technologies and business models are transforming global business, Kung says, and “if Taiwan is not included in that trend,…
The Tsai administration is making a heavy commitment of resources to promoting seven sectors of the economy as the key to transforming Taiwan’s industry. The initial five “pillar industries” were the Internet of Things (also referred to as Asia·Silicon Valley), Biomedical, Green Energy, Smart Machinery, and Defense. Added later were high-value agriculture and the circular…
