The government is making good progress on tackling the issues identified in the 2019 Taiwan White Paper produced by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, according to the Cabinet-level National Development Council June 10.
Around 34 percent of the 82 issues raised in the paper have been resolved or are on the way to resolution, the NDC said. A total of 11 issues have been finalized, tied for the most in the history of the annual AmCham white paper, spanning areas including banking, cosmetics, human resources, pharmaceuticals and technology, it added.
More progress is anticipated going forward as the government is set to implement measures centering on the Six Core Strategic Industries: cybersecurity, national defense, strategic stockpiling, information and digital, biotech and medical technology as well as green and renewable energy, the NDC said, adding that these are also in line with the five-plus-two innovative industries initiative, a key plank in the government’s national development strategy focusing on the country’s high-growth sectors.
The council’s statement follows the release the same day of the 2020 edition of the white paper in which AmCham lauded the government’s efforts managing the coronavirus pandemic, showcasing Taiwan as an outstanding place to do business and invest. It praised rule changes to encourage green financing, rank major violations of the Trade Secrets Act as serious criminal cases and fully implement a patent linkage system that enhances Taiwan’s intellectual property rights in the pharmaceuticals industry.
AmCham also called on Washington to strengthen its partnership with Taipei by entering negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement while supporting Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations.
Established in 1951 with more than 1,000 members from 500-plus companies, AmCham is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting the interests of American and international businesses in Taiwan. It has published the white paper annually since 1996 to provide suggestions on how to strengthen the local business climate. (YCH-E)
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