The government is making progress on tackling issues identified in the 2021 Taiwan White Paper produced by the American Chamber of Commerce, according to the Cabinet-level National Development Council June 22.
A total of 18 issues raised in the paper have been resolved or are under resolution, the NDC said. These include the simplification of the review process for new medical devices, the exemption of goods tax on electric vehicles and the requirement for information disclosure on environmental, social and governance-related fund raising, it added.
Swift progress is anticipated as the suggestions outlined in this year’s edition of the AmCham report are already among the government’s primary goals, the NDC said. In March this year, the government launched an action plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and in May this year, it sought to improve the labor market by promulgating an act for industry-academia cooperation and skilled personnel training in key fields.
The council’s statement follows the release of the 2022 edition of the white paper in which AmCham lauded the government for maintaining a key position for the country’s semiconductor industry in global supply chains, showcasing an economic growth rate of 6.57 percent in 2021, a record high over the past 11 years, and co-launching the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade in June this year.
AmCham also called on Washington to further strengthen its partnership with Taiwan by entering negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement while including the country in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and multilateral trading systems like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership are necessary, it added.
Established in 1951 with over 1,000 members from 500-plus companies, AmCham is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting the interests of U.S. and international businesses in Taiwan. It has published an annual white paper since 1996 to offer suggestions on how to strengthen the local business climate. (YCH-E)
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