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…
Hearty congratulations to current and past AmCham members and staff on your 70th anniversary! Countless fond memories wash through my mind as I look back on my years at AmCham’s helm. Then, and now, the Chamber has played a key role in Taiwan’s economic and commercial success, both as participant and cheerleader. Behind the Chamber’s…
Olympics Showcase Taiwan’s Strengths and Challenges Taiwan gave a historic performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which had been postponed until late July this year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 67 Taiwanese athletes competed in 18 sports at the games and returned to Taiwan with a record haul of 12…
China’s recent ban on pineapple imports from Taiwan provides an occasion for policymakers to rethink the island’s dependence on the Chinese market for agricultural exports. In late February, just as Taiwan’s pineapple season was set to begin, China’s General Administration of Customs announced that it would suspend the import of Taiwanese pineapples beginning March 1….
Palau President Visits Taiwan Surangel Whipps Jr., President of the Micronesian country of Palau, one of Taiwan’s few remaining diplomatic allies, made a five-day official visit to Taiwan in late March to celebrate the opening of a special travel bubble between the two partners. Accompanying Whipps on his visit was U.S. Ambassador to Palau John…
A discussion currently underway in American foreign policy circles focuses on how best to define the potential U.S. response to a military attack on Taiwan. Washington’s longstanding approach to the matter has been called “strategic ambiguity” – a vague statement of support for Taiwan in the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) but no explicit commitment to…
Taiwan’s COVID-19 Response Applauded There has been a flood of positive media coverage regarding Taiwan’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic over the past month. Reports have emphasized the government’s early action to contain the virus, citing its previous experience with SARS and the information it began receiving from China in late 2019 as the main reasons…
In recent weeks, Western media outlets have given considerable attention to speculation about the impact the COVID-19 crisis might have on Chinese governance once the situation has been brought under control. Few, if any, however, have looked at the consequences for Taiwan. With its isolation from much of the international community, including such crucial organizations…
VP-Elect Lai Makes U.S. Visit When Vice President-elect William Lai visited the U.S. in early February, the highlight of the trip was his attendance at the invitation-only National Prayer Breakfast, an event that was also attended by President Trump. Although Lai stressed that his trip was made in a personal capacity, he is the highest-ranking…
Taiwan’s Military Chief Dies in Accident Chief of the General Staff Shen Yi-ming was among eight military officers killed January 2 when their helicopter made a crash-landing in mountainous terrain shortly after take-off from Taipei on the way to visits troops stationed in Yilan County in the island’s northeast. Shen, who was 62, assumed Taiwan’s…
