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…
As more countries, concerned about academic interference, begin to close down the China-facilitated Confucius Institutes on their university campuses, Taiwan is in a unique position to fill the gap by exporting its Chinese-language teaching expertise and drawing more students to the island for language study. At the end of 2020, then American Institute in Taiwan…
William Brent Christensen began serving as Director of the American Institute in Taiwan in August 2018, but that was by no means his first Taiwan assignment. During his three-decade-long career as a foreign service officer, Christensen has served in Taiwan on three separate occasions, including a stint as a consular official in the 1990s and…
U.S.-Taiwan TIFA Talks Resume The 11th Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) trade talks between the U.S. and Taiwan convened on June 30 following a five-year hiatus. Taiwan’s delegation was led by Yang Jen-ni, deputy trade representative in the Office of Trade Negotiations. Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Terry McCartin headed the U.S. delegation, which included officials from the…
Brookings Institution senior fellow Richard C. Bush’s comprehensive new book on Taiwan describes in great detail the delicate balancing act Taiwan must play regarding not only its international status and the tenuous cross-Strait relationship, but also a host of thorny domestic issues impacting the island’s future. When it comes to explaining Taiwan, Richard C. Bush…
Plum Rains Help Ease Drought This spring Taiwan experienced its worst drought in 56 years. Rainfall on the island has been steadily decreasing due to climate change. Leaky pipes, low water prices, and lax water-use habits also contributed to May’s shortage. The annual plum rains arrived in late April following a year without significant rainfall…
A weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS Long-stalled TIFA Talks Resume in Late June The 11th Taiwan-US Trade & Investment Framework Agreements (TIFA) council meeting was convened virtually on June 30. It was the first such meeting to be held in nearly five years, and…
A weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS Taiwan COVID-19 Update: The Bright and the Bleak The COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan is slowly being brought under control as the island enters its fourth week of Level 3 restrictions. Daily confirmed cases remain in the triple digits…
A weekly snapshot of Taiwan business news stories brought to you by CommonWealth and AmCham Taiwan’s TOPICS Taiwanese Outlook Positive Despite Pandemic The COVID-19 situation in Taiwan continues to be severe, with the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reporting between 250-400 new cases per day, as well as a continuing backlog of cases due to…
By Austin Babb and Jason Wu Train Derailment in Hualien Kills 49 On April 2, passenger train Taroko Express No. 408 collided with a crane truck near the Qingshui Tunnel in Hua-lien County. The resulting derailment caused the death of 49 passengers, with more than 200 injured. Among those losing their lives were two American…
