Despite rising fuel costs and increased power demand, Taiwan’s electricity prices have remained unchanged for the past four years. With the budgets of state-run gas company CPC and electricity provider Taipower stretched thin, is it time to rethink subsidized power? Taiwan has some of the world’s lowest electricity prices. The question is why? With no…
The revised law contains some substantial improvements. But more can be done in the effort to persuade foreigners to make Taiwan their permanent home. On October 25, the Executive Yuan put into effect long-awaited amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals, also known as the “Foreign Professionals Act.” The amendments…
A weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS U.S. Request Rattles Taiwan Chipmakers The U.S. Department of Commerce on September 24 requested that semiconductor companies from around the world submit “information about inventories, demand, and delivery dynamics.” Information requested included the companies’ “book-to-bill” ratio – the…
Taiwan Places Bid to Enter CPTPP The Executive Yuan on September 23 announced Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), applying as the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu, the name it uses to participate in the World Trade Organization (WTO). The CPTPP was signed in…
As the world enters the post-pandemic era, its economy is undergoing a digital transformation expected to create an output of US$120 trillion by 2030, according to the World Economic Forum. To ensure that Taiwan is at the forefront of this evolution, the Taiwan government’s National Development Council (NDC) has begun updating and adapting its development…
A weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS Taiwan Applies to Join Regional Trade Pact On September 22, the Executive Yuan announced that Taiwan had formally applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Taiwan submitted its application documents to New Zealand,…
With extremely low fertility rates and a population barreling toward super-aged status, Taiwan must think creatively about how to counter the worst effects of demographic change. At 1.218 children per woman, Taiwan has the lowest fertility rate in the world, below those of South Korea and Singapore, according to a 2019 report by the U.S….
Last month, AmCham Taiwan concluded the third and final meeting between its various industry committees and representatives of relevant government agencies to discuss progress on the 2020 White Paper issues. The meetings, coordinated by the National Development Council and presided over by NDC Minister Kung Ming-hsin, were launched in 2018 as a way of increasing…
While plans for new digital agency are still being deliberated, both government insiders and industry players are weighing in on what form it should take and what its mandate should be. For an economy as heavily dependent on technology as Taiwan’s, fostering digital and technological transformation is increasingly vital. The government’s plans to establish a…
This year has brought unprecedented challenges to the global economy. As COVID-19 spread across the world over the past half year, supply chains are restructuring, the operating modes are changing, and the need for digital transformation is increasing. The virus has also given rise to numerous business opportunities in the digital realm, and under the…
