Mayor Ko Establishes new Political Party Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je announced in late July the founding of a new political party. Named the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), a reference to a party of the same name founded by Japanese colonial era democracy activist Chen Wei-shui in the 1920s, the TPP will present an alternative to…
Sale Of F-16Vs to Taiwan Gets U.S. Approval Following quickly after Taiwan’s US$2.2 billion purchase of tanks, missiles, and other military hardware from the U.S. in July, the Trump administration in August approved the additional US$8 billion sale to Taiwan of 66 F-16V fighter jets, also known as the F-16 Viper. Although in keeping with…
Protests in Hong Kong Over Extradition Law In June, mass protests erupted in Hong Kong in opposition to a proposed extradition law that would have allowed accused criminals to be sent to China (as well as Taiwan) for trial. The bill was introduced following the murder of a young woman at the hands of her…
U.S., Taiwan Observe 40 Years of the TRA To participate in celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act and establishment of the American Institute in Taiwan, the U.S. sent a delegation to Taiwan led by former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul Ryan. The delegation also included Eddie Bernice Johnson,…
The absence of diplomatic ties hasn’t deterred the establishment of collaboration in a host of different fields. During this commemoration year for the Taiwan Relations Act, Taiwan and the U.S. can take satisfaction from knowing that 40 years and the loss of formal diplomatic relations haven’t dimmed the deep-seated friendship and widespread cooperation between them….
Labor strife has been a rarity in Taiwan. Most unions have been organized within individual companies rather than across industries, limiting their power. And for years under the martial-law provisions that ended in 1987, strikes were prohibited altogether. Based on recent developments in the aviation industry, that labor tranquility can no longer be taken for…
Taiwan Wants to Buy F-16 Viper Aircraft Taiwan reportedly submitted formal requests to the U.S. at the end of March to purchase M1 Abrams tanks and 66 F-16V fighter jets. Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration has given tacit approval to the proposed purchase and that President Donald Trump’s advisers had encouraged Taiwan to make…
AmCham also worked closely with the Taiwan government in 1979 to preserve – or refashion – important expat community institutions. The U.S. decision in late 1978 to cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan suddenly put at risk the ability of various American community institutions in Taipei to continue operating. Those entities’ legal status in Taiwan had…
The cover story in this issue of Taiwan Business TOPICS looks back with appreciation to 40 years ago this month when the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), freshly passed by Congress, became U.S. law with President Jimmy Carter’s signature. The drafting of the TRA – a process in which AmCham Taipei is proud to have played a…
Forty years ago, AmCham Taipei members found themselves in the middle of a giant geopolitical shift – the new diplomatic alliance between Washington and Beijing. The ramifications for Taiwan were significant, creating serious challenges that are described well in this issue of TOPICS. The heroic way AmCham members stepped up to meet the challenges is…
