U.S., Taiwan Hold Economic Talks The inaugural U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Dialogue (EPP) was held in mid-November. The nine-hour talks took place both virtually and through physical meetings in Washington, D.C. and culminated in a five-year memorandum of understanding between the two sides. Among the topics discussed during the EPP were bilateral economic cooperation in the…
DBS economist Ma Tieying takes the most bullish view of Taiwan’s economic prospects for 2021, forecasting GDP growth of 4.2%. The most cautious position among those interviewed for this report was from Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute President Liang Kuo-yuan, whose forecast is “at least 3%.” In between is the government’s own statistics agency, which expects growth…
Given the importance for Taiwan of its relationship with the U.S., a pending change in administration in Washington always sets off intense speculation on the island as to what to expect from the incoming American government. This year, with Joe Biden about to replace Donald Trump in the White House, there has been even more…
Aside from the large medical centers that enjoy significant economies of scale, many Taiwanese hospitals have been faced with financial difficulties due to rising costs. Many smaller hospitals have closed or merged, and the survivors have been looking for ways to cut expenses and increase revenues. The proportion of healthcare expenditures paid by patients out of…
The pandemic has hit the bottom lines of struggling schools reliant on foreign students. Yet Taiwan’s ability to contain the coronavirus is also making it a more attractive place to study. Taiwan has long had a surplus of universities, the legacy of well-intentioned if myopic education reforms in the 1990s. The island nation is home…
Taiwan Celebrates National Day 2020 Taiwan’s 109th Double Ten National Day celebration, held primarily in Taipei and Tainan, featured several military and civilian performances, including a synchronized flyby of recently upgraded F-16 fighter jets and a massive fireworks display. The ceremony was attended by representatives and visiting dignitaries from several of Taiwan’s official and unofficial…
Hong Kong Rally Held in Taipei An October 25 rally in Taipei supporting 12 Hong Kong activists who were arrested when trying to flee to Taiwan in August drew hundreds of participants from across the island. Dressed in black and carrying signs bearing the slogan “Save 12” and other messages of support, rally attendees marched…
With renewable energy projects likely to be delayed, Taiwan will be relying even more heavily than expected on natural gas. From its inception in 2016, Taiwan’s energy transition plan relied heavily on the use of natural gas. But with solar and offshore wind development facing possibly substantial delays, the importance of the natural gas portion…
KMT Moves Toward Pork Toward Pork Referendum The opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) began collecting signatures for its petition against President Tsai’s decision to lift the ban on imports of U.S. pork products in September, questioning the safety of residue from the feed additive ractopamine in such products. The petition is a first step toward…
A new, globally certified training center in Taichung is helping Taiwan develop specialized personnel and talent for its offshore wind industry. Taiwan’s shortage of qualified talent to work in the offshore wind business is among its chief challenges in developing the sector. Unlike many nations that have developed offshore wind, Taiwan has almost no marine…
