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,…
When it comes to U.S.-China relations, the Trump administration speaks with several voices – often conveying conflicting messages. Many in the business world have been left feeling confused about the president’s overall strategy. But one voice has been clearer and more consistent than many others, and it belongs to Vice President Mike Pence. He gave…
The American withdrawal from the nascent Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade block almost immediately after President Trump assumed office early this year left Taiwan without a concrete, compelling objective to work toward in its economic relationship with the United States. Until then, Taiwan had a clear focus – its hope that it would be able to…
Among the flurry of executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald Trump since taking office was one issued March 31 aimed at reducing the American trade deficit with countries with which the United States runs a significant trade imbalance. The order assigns the Secretary of Commerce and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) –…
In an executive order likely to have far-reaching implications in improving the transparency and effectiveness of Taiwan’s regulatory process, the Executive Yuan in early September issued a directive extending the notice and comment period for proposed regulations from the current 14 days to 60 days. The new system took effect from the beginning of this…
Taiwan’s two main political parties, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Kuomintang (KMT), which recently reversed roles as the governing and opposition parties, have widely diverging positions on many issues. But on one point they are firmly in accord: the need for Taiwan to maintain its economic competitiveness by readying itself for eventual participation…
Controversy rages in the United States over the likely fate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TPP was signed on February 4, 2016, but to take effect it must be ratified by at least six of the signatories, including the United States and Japan. U.S. President Obama has written that the TPP would level the…
As Taiwan makes plans to pursue membership in the nascent Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade grouping, government officials are mindful that the 2014 student-led Sunflower Movement – whose impact has continued to keep the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA) in abeyance – has changed public expectations toward the way trade agreements should be handled. Much of…
AmCham Taipei recently released the results of its sixth annual Business Climate Survey soliciting the views of key executives at its member companies (a report on the major findings can be found within this issue of TOPICS). The survey is always conducted at the end of the calendar year and made public in mid-January after…
Taiwan’s determination to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) multilateral trade pact at the earliest opportunity is becoming increasingly evident. Following release early in November of the full text of the agreement recently concluded among the United States, Japan, and 10 other countries, the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Bureau of Foreign Trade began studying the documents’…
