THE ECONOMIC NEWS IS MOSTLY POSITIVE On November 17 economist Chen Shin-hui, assistant research fellow at the Center for Economic Forecasting, part of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER), offered a lively presentation and discussion on the state of Taiwan’s and the world’s economy. As the compiler of CIER’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), a monthly…

The 2017 AmCham Taipei “Doorknock” mission encounters a hard line on trade issues. Early on in the five-day AmCham Taipei “Doorknock” visit to Washington D.C. in late June, the delegation became starkly aware of just how much the operating style of the U.S. government has changed under the Trump administration. Even career government officials who…

Panama Cuts Ties With Taiwan Panama switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, the latest in a series of developments that further isolate Taiwan on the global stage. Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela cited “economic interests” as the incentive to sever the diplomatic ties. In response, Taiwan plans to halt all bilateral cooperative projects and…

US senators introduce bill to encourage high-level visits to Taiwan Six U.S. senators jointly introduced the Taiwan Travel Act on May 5 to encourage visits between the United States and Taiwan at all levels. The draft bill states that Congress believes the U.S. government should allow officials at all levels, including cabinet-level national security officials,…

RESOLUTE - KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu has faced down criticism over her planned trip to China and stress on the "1992 Consensus" Photo: CNA

U.S. and Taiwan Hold TIFA Council Meeting In early October, U.S. and Taiwan trade authorities concluded the tenth Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meeting under the pact designed to foster trade and investment ties between the two countries. Ambassador Robert Holleyman, Deputy United States Trade Representative, and Wang Mei-hua, Taiwan’s Vice Minister of…

The United States has one of the world’s most complicated taxation systems, and also is one of the few jurisdictions to tax its citizens – as well as permanent residents and foreigners staying in the country for an extended time – on the basis of their global income. As a result, questions frequently arise regarding…