AmCham’s 2023 White Paper Calls on Taiwan to Bolster Resilience

TAIPEI, Taiwan – In its 2023 Taiwan White Paper released on June 7, the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan called on the Taiwan government to act urgently to take advantage of the unprecedented international attention, support, and goodwill it currently enjoys by improving its business climate to encourage investment.

The Chamber emphasized the need for quick and sustained action to ensure a stable energy supply and create a more satisfying work environment to attract and retain talent. The White Paper also called for stricter adherence to the 60-day public notice and comment period for new or revised regulations, increased funding for innovative healthcare treatments, and the adoption of international practice in tendering critical public infrastructure projects.

In the White Paper’s Messages to Washington, AmCham lauded the positive development of the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade. The Chamber urged the two governments to establish a clear roadmap on how agreements under the Initiative will be executed and then move forward to negotiate a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement. AmCham additionally encouraged the U.S. government to schedule routine visits to Taiwan by high-level U.S. government officials and continue efforts to promote Taiwan’s participation in relevant international organizations.

In the face of global economic headwinds and cross-Strait uncertainty, a “business as usual” mindset will no longer suffice, the White Paper said. AmCham stressed the importance for Taiwan to heighten its efforts to eliminate trade barriers and improve the regulatory system to bolster Taiwan’s competitiveness. It also urged the Taiwan and U.S. governments to begin negotiations on a bilateral double taxation avoidance agreement to facilitate trade and two-way investment.

Noting that only eight of the 102 issues raised in the 2022 White Paper have been resolved, the Chamber expressed the hope of holding more frequent meetings between its committees and the relevant Taiwan government agencies in the coming year.

At the press conference for the launch of this year’s White Paper, AmCham Taiwan thanked the National Development Council for its annual efforts in coordinating the government’s response to the Chamber’s recommendations, as well as the relevant government ministries and agencies for their cooperation in addressing challenging regulatory issues.

The 2023 Taiwan White Paper can be downloaded in full here: https://amcham.com.tw/advocacy/white-paper/

For more information, please contact:

Sam Sheu
Acting Director of Government and Public Affairs
02-27188226 ext. 314
[email protected]

Fernando Chen
Senior Manager of Government and Public Affairs
02-27188226 ext. 213
[email protected]