2022 Taiwan White Paper
Requests to Washington
English
Annually since 1996, AmCham has produced our Taiwan White Paper bilingually to convey our members’ concerns about the bilateral business environment and specific regulations in Taiwan to policymakers in Taipei and Washington. The publication results from a process of back-and-forth over an entire year between Chamber and government authorities and stakeholders.
On the Taiwan side, we are endlessly appreciative of the National Development Council for serving as a window to begin issue discussions. Likewise, we appreciate the counsel and support of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and U.S. government home agencies in echoing our White Paper requests through official channels, including the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). When the “tri-alogue” works best, as it did for the Medical Device Single Audit Program, for example, we achieve results like Taiwan’s formal acceptance of that accelerated product licensing framework in October 2021. Together with the more than 90 specific recommendations put to the Taiwan government in this year’s White Paper, the following eight proposals to Washington represent AmCham Taiwan’s best advice on how the U.S. government can support U.S. business interests in and with Taiwan and drive our bilateral relationship forward. The second half of this section serves as our scorecard on our 2021 Requests to Washington.
Summary of 2022 Requests to Washington:
- Accelerate economic integration with Taiwan via a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) and harness bipartisan, bicameral support to initiate it.
- Begin negotiations on a bilateral semiconductor supply-chain agreement.
- Vigorously support the USDOC-MOEA Technology Trade & Investment (TTIC) framework.
- Reinvigorate AIT’s instrumental role in the Talent Circulation Alliance.
- Pass and fully fund the Taiwan Fellowship Act this year.
- Pass the Senate’s U.S. Innovation and Competition Act/House’s America Competes Act.
- Stay the IPEF course and look to Taiwan’s eventual inclusion.
- Build on the progress made on our 2021 requests by 1) continuing to explore a double taxation agreement (DTA), 2) supporting Taiwan’s participation in plurilateral and multilateral economic arrangements (including the CPTPP and digital economy accords) and international organizations, and 3) rebuilding the political consensus to support a U.S. return to world leadership of trade liberalization and institutional rules maintenance, beginning with CPTPP reentry.
Harness bipartisan, bicameral support to initiate a U.S.-Taiwan BTA: We call urgently on the Biden administration to build upon the pledge by the U.S. and Taiwan chief trade negotiators in Bangkok in May to find “concrete ways to deepen the U.S.-Taiwan trade and investment relationship” by beginning talks on a BTA. Such a trade pact is the most effective and expeditious means to further open and streamline Taiwan’s markets for U.S. goods (including agricultural products) and investment, as well as to harmonize industrial standards, regulations, and practices with those of the U.S. The strategic importance of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry has both economic and security implications that could be effectively addressed under a BTA.
Second, a comprehensive agreement will facilitate greater investment in the U.S. at a time when Taiwanese firms need to invest overseas in the high-tech, high-salary industries of the future. Third, signing a BTA with Taiwan demonstrates U.S. confidence in Taiwan and encourages like-minded partners to broaden Taiwan’s international space through similar agreements. In addition to these strategic trade elements with their clear implications for U.S. defense preparedness, a BTA would bolster both the U.S.’ and Taiwan’s economic and thus overall security vis-à-vis an assertive China.
AmCham Taiwan is far from standing alone in our advocacy of a BTA. Scores of politicians from both major parties and from both houses of Congress have made the case for a BTA, and their numbers are growing. Their support is evident in the multiple resolutions and letters sent to the former and current U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the former President. Meanwhile, passage of Taiwan-supportive legislation such as the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019 recommend measures to create forward momentum on a BTA. Should the
administration lack the willingness and/or resources to carry out negotiations expeditiously, we call on Congress to reassert its constitutional power to push forward a BTA by passing legislation requiring that negotiations for such an agreement begin this year, with a completed text presented for passage by early 2024. Such a mandate could also establish a rough trade promotion authority- style scope for the pact, modeled on the most recent trade agreement Congress approved, the USMCA with Canada and Mexico.
Begin negotiations on a bilateral semiconductor supply-chain agreement: Globally, much attention is rightfully being placed on strengthening critical supply chains, beginning with the foundational and strategic semiconductor sector. Given Taiwan’s qualitative and quantitative predominance in the sector, Taiwan is a natural counterpart for a comprehensive bilateral semiconductor supply chain initiative, which could be taken up within a BTA or as a standalone chapter for later incorporation in a comprehensive accord. Additionally, Taiwan has unparalleled trade and investment experience in this and other tech sectors in China, notwithstanding an increasingly competitive and at times confrontational relationship.
Thus, the norms and rules worked out with this “front line” economy could help the U.S. set a framework for competition and coexistence with China in the technologies of the future. AmCham’s newly founded Semiconductor Committee, with representation along the value chain and including American, Taiwanese, and European firms, is well placed to support a public-private dialogue of this nature by helping to represent the Taiwan contribution.
Moreover, Taiwan is geographically close to and commercially well integrated with the world’s number- three and number-four chip production leaders by volume – Korea and Japan. Completion or solid progress on a U.S.-Taiwan chip supply-chain accord would greatly facilitate a combined approach with those two treaty allies of the U.S. in an Asian Chip framework. Such a crucial U.S.-Taiwan agreement could also serve as a functional on-ramp to Taiwan’s participation in certain multilateral agreements (IPEF, CPTPP, DEPA, etc.).
Stay the IPEF course and look to Taiwan’s eventual inclusion: AmCham warmly welcomed the launch of the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in late May. IPEF symbolizes and institutionalizes the commitment of the U.S. to be constructively present across the Indo-Pacific, home to the world’s most dynamic economies. The return of U.S. leadership in Asia is good news for Taiwan and good news for our Chamber’s 535 corporate members. IPEF also promises a creative new mechanism to advance infrastructure, sustainability, supply chain resilience, and anti-corruption efforts, among other priorities. Such an important economy and impactful society as Taiwan deserves to be brought into that framework as early as possible.
Vigorously support the USDOC-MOEA Technology Trade & Investment (TTIC) framework: AmCham Taiwan applauds this joint initiative by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and has been impressed by the efforts being undertaken to enhance supply chains in both countries through two-way investment in four sectors: semiconductors, sustainable energy, electric vehicles, and 5G/cybersecurity. We believe that one of the quantum advances in this model is its embrace of public-private partnership as the organizing principle. AmCham has been pleased to participate in the working group for semiconductors and seeks the opportunity to similarly support the other three working groups.
Build resilience into the supply chain through Congressional passage of the Joint Conference version of the Senate’s U.S. Innovation and Competition Act/ House’s America Competes Act: This legislation will provide US$52 billion to fund the CHIPS Act and support increasing domestic semiconductor capacity as a prerequisite to rebalancing global supply chains, with an instrumental role played by Taiwan-capital semiconductor leaders who seek to invest in the U.S.
Launch the Taiwan Fellowship Act this year through Congressional passage and funding and Presidential signature: Doing so will set the stage for the first cohort of fellows to be welcomed to Taiwan in 2023. This important legislation will lay the foundation for the successful implementation of all the agreements discussed above over the long term. The fellowships will improve mutual understanding and public policy alignment by providing U.S. civil servants with Mandarin-language study and detail assignments in Taiwan. A companion program funded by the Taiwan side, in which Taiwanese fellows are sent to the U.S., would be the natural follow- on to this initiative.
Reinvigorate AIT’s instrumental role in the Talent Circulation Alliance (TCA): Talent attraction and retention has been identified by AmCham Taiwan’s members as a top need for business growth for several years, vying with concerns over energy supply as major preoccupation. Talent is also a prerequisite for realizing virtually all of Taiwan’s economic policy objectives, including transitioning to an innovation-based economy, internationalizing Taiwan’s workforce, and becoming a digital nation. To help reach those goals, the TCA was launched in 2020 by AIT and the Taiwanese authorities as a public-private partnership. AmCham Taiwan is a member of the Alliance and looks forward to contributing its share through additional programs.
Build on impressive U.S.-Taiwan momentum from the 2021 White Paper: A staple of the White Paper has been an annual scorecard that tracks the Taiwan government’s progress on committee issues under its control. This year, we offer a similar assessment of the progress on our requests from the 2021 Requests to Washington. Of the eight points raised in that edition, six comprised a roadmap for building economic harmonization and resilience with Taiwan that we dubbed the Taiwan Commercial Initiative (TCI). As an addendum to those core requests, we also asked for continued support for Taiwan to obtain then-scarce COVID-19 vaccines and for the passage and funding of the Taiwan Fellowship Act.
Of the first six requests, we are pleased to report that our first two – to restart TIFA talks and to hold a second round of the State Department’s Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue – were both realized shortly after publication of the White Paper in June 2021. Our third request – to establish a two-way, investment- centered initiative involving the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Ministry of Economic Affairs – was answered in a December 2021 meeting between the ministers. The initiative became the Technology Trade and Investment Collaboration (TTIC). AmCham was pleased to be brought into a formative session of the TTIC Semiconductor Working Group in April, a demonstration of how a smart government-to-government framework can be fortified as a public-private partnership.
The fourth workstream of the TCI entailed U.S. government inclusion of Taiwan in multi-country agreements, such as potential understandings on digital trade or strengthening critical supply chains. In addition to our request above to initiate a bilateral supply chain initiative with Taiwan – and in line with the logic of embracing a world leader in chip manufacturing when discussing global supply chain resilience and security – it is essential that Taiwan be included as interlocutor in any Asian or global undertakings for this sector. We also note encouraging efforts outside the economic realm, such as the U.S.-led campaign to have Taiwan admitted into the World Health Assembly, a development we strongly endorse given Taiwan’s record of contributions to global public health.
AmCham was encouraged to see Taiwan’s September 2021 application to join the CPTPP. Not only would Taiwan’s accession further its integration into rule-abiding regional and global trading communities, but it would also accelerate several of the reforms we have called for over the years in our White Papers. We invite support and technical assistance from the U.S. for Taiwan’s entry into the CPTPP. Furthermore, we once again join our colleagues from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AmChams of the Asia Pacific, and scores of other business groups in strongly urging the U.S. government to return to the CPTPP, a foundational trade agreement for the region, at the earliest opportunity.
The fifth TCI workstream called for exploration of a DTA to facilitate trade and the two-way investment that is so important to supply-chain strengthening. Double taxation is also an issue we have raised with the Taiwan government in the main section of this White Paper, given its potential to boost economic efficiency and integration. The Chamber notes that the State Department previously indicated support for such an agreement. However, we are unaware of subsequent movement on this eminently practical and achievable recommendation.
The sixth workstream called for a comprehensive U.S.- Taiwan trade deal, or BTA. Here we have seen a long- term stall continue, one reason for making a BTA our top request.
As for the Taiwan Fellowship Act, we were pleased to see its passage through both the House and Senate and give it a top score, pending the launch of the fellowship.
Lastly, we give the U.S. very high marks on the “vaccine diplomacy” topic raised by the Chamber last year. The overwhelmingly successful and critical role played by the U.S. government in providing vaccines to Taiwan last summer helped it overcome the challenge of securing sufficient supplies to inoculate and protect its population. Critically, that effort helped keep Taiwan’s production lines running, and as over 80% of Taiwanese are now vaccinated, it will make possible a phased resumption of international travel from the third quarter of 2022.
Overall, the scorecard for AmCham’s requests to the U.S. government last year is quite strong. Of the eight requests we made, we consider half to be fully resolved or making good progress. For the remainder, while we have seen some very encouraging developments, we urge prompt action from Washington, especially on our request to begin work on a BTA.
We look forward to working with both the U.S. and Taiwan governments in the year ahead to support achievement of the ambitious – yet achievable – requests in this White Paper.
Chinese
自1996年起，台灣美國商會(下稱商會)每年均發表中 文及英文的《台灣白皮書》，向台灣及美國政府表達會員 業者對雙方貿易環境及台灣特定法規的看法。本白皮書係 商會與政府部會、各方關係人來回溝通一整年之成果。
商會誠摯感謝國家發展委員會就白皮書議題，擔任溝 通橋樑，積極協助商會與台灣政府展開對話。同樣地，商 會亦特別感謝美國在台協會 (AIT) 及美國政府各部會，透 過台美「貿易暨投資架構協定」(Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, TIFA) 等正式管道，回應商會白皮書的訴求。台灣在2021年10月，通過「醫療器材單一稽核 計畫」，加速產品查驗登記流程，此係「三方對話」的成 果。今年，商會在白皮書內，向台灣政府提出超過90項具體建議，同時，我們也向華府提出以下8項建言，期待美國 政府支持美國企業在台或與台相關之利益，讓台美關係更 臻進境。本文後半段將就商會2021年對華府的期待，評估相關進展。
2022年商會對華府的期待:
- 取得美國跨黨派、跨參眾兩院的支持，簽訂台美「雙 邊貿易協定」(Bilateral Trade Agreement, BTA)，加 速與台灣的經貿合作。
- 就雙邊半導體供應鏈協定，展開協商。
- 強力支持美國商務部與台灣經濟部的「科技貿易暨投資合作架構」(Technology Trade & Investment,TTIC)。
- 讓AIT在「人才循環大聯盟」中更加活躍，扮演關鍵角色。
- 今年通過《台灣獎學金法》草案，提供充足經費。
- 參議院通過《美國創新與競爭法》，眾議院通過《美國競爭法》。
- 持續推動「印太經濟架構」(Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, IPEF)，並最終納入台灣。
- 在2021年提出訴求所取得的進展上，我們建議:
(1) 持續尋求簽訂「雙重課稅協定」(DTA);
(2) 支持台灣加入複邊和多邊貿易協定【包含「跨太平洋夥伴全面進步協定」(Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, CPTPP) 與數位經濟協定】與國際組織;
(3) 以CPTPP為起點，重建政治共識，支持美國重返自由貿易及世界貿易秩序的領導地位。
取得美國跨黨派、跨參眾兩院的支持，簽訂台美BTA:
台灣美國商會迫切呼籲拜登政府，以美、台貿易談判代表 5月於曼谷達成的承諾為基礎，展開BTA相關的協商，探求 「深化美台貿易投資關係的具體途徑」。 BTA能進一步開放台灣市場，簡化流程，以利美國商品(含農產品)及投資進 入台灣，並讓台灣業界的標準、法規和實務作法能與美國 接軌，BTA係達到上述目標最有效的手段。此外，台灣半 導體產業有重大戰略價值，從BTA角度切入，亦可因應半 導體產業對經濟及安全形勢的影響。其次，當台灣企業未來欲投資境外高科技及高所得產業時，全面性的雙邊協定 可促進其在美國的投資。第三，與台灣簽署BTA象徵美國 對台灣深具信心，也能鼓勵其他有志一同的貿易夥伴，透 過類似協定，支持台灣拓展國際空間。除了上述戰略貿易 層面，BTA對美國國防整備亦有影響，面對強勢的中國， 與台灣簽署BTA對台美經濟乃至安全層面均有助益。
不僅商會支持台美簽訂BTA，許多人亦與我們站在同一 陣線。美國兩黨及參眾兩院的數十位政治領袖，均已表態支持簽署BTA，且人數.持續增加，並透過給前任、現任 美國貿易代表(USTR)和前總統的多項決議及信函，表達 對台美BTA的支持。同時，已通過之友台法案，如2019 年的《台灣友邦國際保護及加強倡議法》(Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act)，亦建議採取相關措施，促成BTA的簽署。如拜登政 府欠缺迅速展開BTA談判的意願及資源，我們籲請國會行 使其憲法權力，通過立法要求行政部門今年啟動BTA談 判，並於2024年初完成制定草案，提交國會審議通過。該 立法模式，可為促進貿易建立法源授權，仿效國會近期批 准(與加拿大、墨西哥簽訂)的美墨加協定(USMCA)的模 式。
就雙邊半導體供應鏈協定，展開協商: 強化關鍵供應鏈(尤其是基礎和戰略性半導體產業)是目前全球矚目焦 點。有鑑於台灣半導體產業質量兼具，應透過全面性的 雙邊半導體供應鏈計畫，納入台灣這個關鍵角色。此計畫 可為BTA的一部分，亦可先獨立存在，稍後再納入一全面 性協議。此外，儘管台灣、中國之間存在激烈競爭甚至對 抗態勢，在半導體等科技產業，台灣對中國貿易投資仍有 豐富經驗，係他人難以企及。因此，台灣因與中國貿易互 動頻繁制定之規範，可在美國與中國科技競爭及共存的關 係中，協助美國建立框架。商會新成立的半導體委員會，邀集半導體產業供應鏈的美商、台商及歐商企業參與，透 過凸顯台灣對半導體產業的貢獻，促進公私部門合作與對話。
不僅如此，台灣在地理及商業上，均與晶片產量排名世界第三、第四的晶片製造國(韓國和日本)都關係密切。 如台美簽訂晶片價值鏈協定，或者展開相關協商並有實質 進展，都將有利美國與日、韓這兩個美國的條約盟國，在「亞洲晶片」產業架構下，展開更密切的合作。該關鍵的台美協定，也會對台灣日後參與多邊協定(例如IPEF、 CPTPP、DEPA等)，發揮領頭作用。
持續推動「印太經濟架構」(IPEF)，期待台灣最終能加入:台灣美國商會熱烈歡迎拜登政府5月下旬推出的IPEF。 IPEF象徵美國做出承諾且制度化實現之，期許在世界經濟最 蓬勃發展的亞太區域，有積極正面的作為。美國在亞洲重返領導地位，對台灣與商會535個會員企業都是好消息。IPEF 也承諾建構新機制，將優先在基礎設施、永續發展、供應鏈 韌性及反貪腐等方面有所進展。台灣作為具影響力的重要經濟體，應早日獲IPEF接納並加入。
大力支持美商務部、台經濟部之間的「科技貿易暨投資合作架構」(TTIC):美國商務部和台灣經濟部攜手促成TTIC架構，商會深表讚賞。雙方努力透過TTIC在半導體、永續能源、電動車及5G/資訊安全等四個產業促進雙向投資、強化 供應鏈，令人印象深刻。商會認為，竭力以公私夥伴關係作為運作原則，是TTIC所代表的台美合作重大進展之一。商會 很高興能參與半導體工作小組，並期待有機會支援其他3個 工作小組。
敦促國會通過參議院《美國創新與競爭法》(U.S. Innovation and Competition Act)及眾議院《美國競爭法》 (America Competes Act)聯席會議版本，使供應鏈更具韌性:此立法將撥款520億美元，以落實《晶片法案》，支持提昇美國國內半導體產能，重新平衡全球供應鏈。有意投資美國的台資半導體領導廠商，將扮演重要角色。
敦促國會審議通過、確立經費並送交總統簽署，推動《台灣獎學金法》:這項建議將為2023年首批美方研究員來台做好準備。長遠來看，該重要立法將為實現上述所有協議奠定基礎。獎學金計畫旨在補助美國公務員在台學習中文、進行短期任務，以增進雙方交流理解，促成雙方在公共政策上更 多協調合作。後續台灣官方後續亦應補助相關計劃，讓台籍 研究員赴美交流。
重啟AIT在「人才循環大聯盟」(TCA)的關鍵角色: 近年，商會會員企業已將求才、留才視為業務拓展所需最關鍵之要素。會員對人才議題的關切，不亞於對能源供應的關注。人 才是實現台灣幾乎所有經濟政策目標的先決條件，這涉及驅動轉型成為創新型經濟、勞動力國際化，以及邁向數位國 家。為實現上述目標，2020年AIT與主管機關合作成立人才 循環大聯盟，發展公私夥伴關係。商會身為聯盟成員之一， 期待參與相關計劃並有所貢獻。
以2021年《台灣白皮書》台美關係相關訴求的優異進展為基礎:《台灣白皮書》每年都列表追蹤政府在商會各委員會所提議題上的回應進度，並做出評價。今年我們針對 2021年向華府提出訴求的最新進展，做出類似評估。當時於商會8項訴求中，6項涉及與台灣共同建立推動經貿合作與 加強韌性的政策藍圖，我們稱為「台灣商業計畫」(Taiwan Commercial Initiative, TCI)。除了這些核心訴求，我們也期待美國政府持續支持台灣取得當時稀缺的COVID-19疫苗，以及通過《台灣獎學金法》並撥出執行經費。
在前六項訴求中，我們很高興前兩項訴求，包含重啟TIFA談判及舉行第2輪國務院台美經濟繁榮夥伴對話，在2021年6 月《台灣白皮書》發表不久後即獲實現。2021年12月舉行的部長級會議中，商會的第三項訴求(建立由美國商務部與台 灣經濟部共同參與的雙向並以投資為主軸的計畫)也獲得主 管機關正面回應，此計畫後來延伸成為構TTIC。商會非常高 興四月有機會參與TTIC半導體工作小組的初步討論，這次會議也顯示台美政府之間的溝通架構，可進一步促成公私夥伴關係。
TCI第四個工作路徑呼籲美國政府將台灣納入多國協定，例如數位貿易或關鍵供應鏈的合作意向協議。除籲請美國與台灣合作啟動雙邊供應鏈計劃，我們也認為，就維護全球供應 鏈韌性與安全，作為晶片製造領域的全球領導者，台灣不應被忽視。在半導體產業相關的區域或全球計畫中，台灣皆應有發言位置。在經濟之外的場域，我們也見到令人欣慰的進 展，例如由美國主導支持台灣加入世界衛生大會的倡議。商會樂見此類正向發展，因為台灣對全球公共衛生貢獻卓著。
商會也樂見台灣於2021年9月申請加入CPTPP。台灣加入此協定，不僅有助台灣進一步融入遵循規範的區域及全球貿易社群，也能加速商會透過《台灣白皮書》疾呼多年 的幾項改革。我們希冀美國政府支持台灣加入CPTPP， 並提供技術支援。此外，如同美國商會(U.S. Chamber of Commerce)、亞太區各國的美國商會及其他多個商業團體， 台灣美國商會要再次強力呼籲美國政府，儘早重返為區域貿易發展奠定基礎的CPTPP。
TCI第五個工作路徑是探索簽訂台美雙重課稅協定 (DTA)的可能性，促進貿易和對供應鏈強化極其重要的雙向投資。雙重課稅也是今年商會透過《台灣白皮書》向台灣政府重申的議題，期能提高經濟效率，深化經濟整合。美國國務院曾表示對此協定的支持，然商會不清楚此實際且應可 實現之提案的進展。
第六個行動路徑是呼籲台美簽訂BTA。相關進展已遲滯多時，因此我們將促成BTA作為首要訴求。
此外，我們樂見參眾兩院通過《台灣獎學金法》並予其最高評價，也期待獎學金計畫盡早啟動。
最後，商會給予美國政府在去年所提之「疫苗外交」的努力，給予高度肯定。
去年夏天，美國政府施以援手提供台灣COVID-19疫苗，發揮關鍵作用，讓疫苗數量影響民眾防疫保護力的台灣克服 疫情挑戰，來自美國的支援也使台灣廠商營運不致中斷。 如今，超過8成的台灣民眾已接種疫苗，也讓台灣有機會在 2022年第3季，階段性恢復國際旅遊。
總括來說，商會去年提出的建言，大致都得到美國政府的正面回應。8項訴求中，半數已完全獲得解決或有所進展。至於其餘訴求的後續發展，儘管我們看到部分振奮人心的發 展，商會仍籲請華府盡速採取行動，積極推動BTA。展望未來一年，商會深盼能與台美政府密切合作，實踐今年《台灣白皮書》中有企圖心及可實踐的建言。
