AmCham Calls for U.S. to Further Engage Taiwan on Global Challenges at 2022 Hsieh Nien Fan

TAIPEI, Taiwan – American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan Chairperson Vincent Shih forcefully repeated the organization’s support for Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) talks and other joint initiatives as cornerstones of enhanced U.S.-Taiwan collaboration.

In remarks delivered at the 2022 Hsieh Nien Fan banquet, Shih lauded the new Technology Trade & Investment Framework (TTIC). He also called for Congress to launch a formal study on pursuing the BTA and the Biden Administration to include Taiwan in the U.S.’ Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). Taiwan is central to semiconductor and other critical supply chains and capable of contributing to high-standards agreements in the areas of digital trade, sustainability, and cybersecurity, he stated.

This year’s Hsieh Nien Fan – the Chamber’s 54th such annual event – was held at the Grand Hyatt Taipei and attended by nearly 550 members and guests, as well as around 140 government officials.

In addition to addressing the U.S. side, Shih also thanked the Taiwan government for its stellar management of the pandemic and introduced the Chamber’s new logo. He also presented President Tsai and Director Oudkirk with pre-publication copies of Taiwan Matters for America, a concise booklet co-produced by the East-West Center and AmCham that captures the essence of a diverse partnership.

Shih cited record-high business sentiment among AmCham’s members but stressed that Taiwan would need to work hard to address pressing issues such as power supply and grid resilience as well as commit to normalizing visa issuance. He emphasized that AmCham and its nearly 1,100 members are ready to help in resolving these issues.

Continuing a tradition of more than 20 years, President Tsai Ing-wen delivered the evening’s keynote speech, in which she highlighted Taiwan’s achievement of its highest economic growth in 11 years and the ever-improving U.S.-Taiwan trade relationship. She also acknowledged the importance of cultivating talent, strengthening Taiwan’s energy infrastructure, and reinforcing cybersecurity to build capacity and remain competitive.

“At the same time, we are moving forward with efforts to improve our investment environment,” said President Tsai. “In this regard, I’m glad we have always been able to count on firsthand feedback and insight from AmCham.”

AmCham was also honored to hear remarks from American Institute in Taiwan Director Sandra Oudkirk, who highlighted U.S.-Taiwan cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, joint efforts to promote global supply chain resilience, and the importance of economic and trade ties between the U.S. and Taiwan. Following her speech, video remarks from Counselor of the U.S. Department of State Derek Chollet and Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce Arun Venkataraman were played.

The Hsieh Nien Fan serves to thank the Taiwan government, local business leaders, and other stakeholders for their helpful engagement with the foreign business community, as well as their cooperation in improving the business climate and advancing Taiwan’s competitiveness.

For more information, please contact:

Lily Kuan
Manager of Government & Public Affairs
[email protected]

(02) 2718-8226 Ext. 627