AmCham Hosts Webinar with Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun

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As Taiwan appears to be nearing the end of a community outbreak of COVID-19 that began in May, many business owners must now make the tough decision of whether to call employees back to the office or continue their hybrid or work-from-home policies.

As remote working arrangements could potentially become a permanent option for employment even after the pandemic is over, Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-chun on July 27 joined an AmCham webinar to speak about labor conditions and regulations regarding this new trend.

During her presentation, Minister Hsu provided guidelines for employers to follow, which include:

  • Safety, health, and protection in a working environment: The Ministry of Labor emphasizes labor inspections, especially of food delivery platforms, retailers, and other businesses with a high risk of transmission of COVID-19.
  • Flexible working hours: Employers should communicate clearly with their employees any adjustments to work start and end times. Besides flexible working hours, vaccination and caretaking leave should also be provided.
  • Remote working: The government issued principles for work conducted outside of the normal workplace in 2015. These include replacing physical time clocks with online clock-in systems for digital records.

Hsu also urged member companies to pay attention to employees’ mental health and work-life balance since remote working decreases personal interaction.

AmCham Hosts Webinar with NDC Minister Kung Ming-hsin

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On July 16, AmCham held a webinar with National Development Council (NDC) Minister Kung Ming-Hsin, who spoke to members about the government’s most recent COVID-19 relief program.

Daniel Tseng, Secretary of AmCham’s Board of Governors and President of Corning Display Technologies Taiwan, moderated the event. He introduced Minister Kung and thanked the NDC for its collaboration with AmCham Taiwan and support for the Chamber’s annual Taiwan White Paper.

Kung began his presentation by summarizing the current COVID-19 situation in Taiwan. In May, an outbreak of local infections resulted in a peak of between 500 and 600 new cases daily, Kung said, adding that Taiwan quickly contained the spread by introducing Level 3 restrictions. While Taiwan continues to record double-digit local COVID-19 cases each day, vaccines are becoming more available and Taiwan’s vaccination rate is increasing.

In contrast with last year’s initial outbreak, the economic effects of this new phase are concentrated on local businesses. Under the Level 3 restrictions, leisure, exhibition, and education-related activities have all been suspended. Other industries, such as food and beverage, tourism, and transportation also face heavy restrictions.

In terms of economic relief for businesses, Kung noted that Taiwan allocated comparatively few funds during the initial phases of the pandemic because Taiwan’s early response, largely informed by their experience with SARS, was highly effective. Given this, special reserves were available to implement broader relief measures.

The government’s approach to relief-funding is to concentrate financial aid on industries experiencing the most stress. Instead of providing blanket cash subsidies, the government has reserved financial resources for impacted industries and individuals, including unemployed workers and the service and tourism industries. Foreigners and part-time and contract workers are also eligible for aid. Additionally, the government introduced a NT$10,000-per-child family assistance program and helped certain households with expenses related to rent and utilities.

Concluding the presentation, Minister Kung noted the goal of the government’s COVID policies is to prioritize prevention, relief, and revitalization.

During the Q&A session held afterwards, a concern was raised about the difficulty some foreigners experienced with registering for vaccination appointments through the online platform. Registration on the platform is based on the number on an individual’s National Health Insurance (NHI) card, which not all foreigners possess. Kung responded that he would raise the issue with the relevant agency in order to determine an alternative method for foreigners without an NHI card to register.

Responding to a question about relief for foreign businesses, Kung noted that small and medium-sized companies qualify for financial assistance, regardless of the owner’s nationality. Business owners and individuals can dial the 1988 economic relief and stimulus hotline for assistance. Kung also hosts a weekly office hour to assist companies with applying for pandemic relief.

Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan and Colleagues Address AmCham Webinar

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On June 28, AmCham Taiwan hosted a webinar with the Taoyuan City Government to provide information on government response to COVID-19 and relief efforts for businesses. The webinar – titled “COVID-19 Measures and Prospect of Taoyuan City” – featured a presentation and Q&A with Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan. He was joined by directors and staff from Taoyuan’s Secretariat, as well as its IT, Public Health, and Economic Development sections. AmCham Taiwan President Andrew Wylegela moderated the event.

In his opening remarks, Mayor Cheng emphasized Taoyuan’s importance as a travel and technology hub. To mitigate the impact of the pandemic on lives and businesses, Taoyuan has used multiple lines of defense to safeguard its population, including expanded COVID-19 testing, disinfection, and vaccination, while providing financial and logistical support to businesses.

Regarding vaccination, Taoyuan City Government noted that medical personnel, epidemic prevention workers in the central and local governments, frontline workers, and pregnant women currently can make appointments to be vaccinated. Additionally, foreign nationals with an ARC in designated priority groups are eligible for government-funded vaccines.

Photo Credit: Taoyuan City Government

Taoyuan’s daily vaccination capacity is dependent on their allocation by the central government. The city can now administer more than 10,000 doses daily, Taoyuan City Government said.

Speaking about relief loans, Cheng and colleagues informed AmCham members that Taoyuan offers services connecting businesses with loans and subsidies. More information can be found on the Taoyuan Department of Economic Development’s webpage.

Answering a question about migrant worker rights during the live Q&A session, Cheng emphasized that the Taoyuan government requires that companies treat migrant workers equally or face being penalized. The government said that it encourages migrant workers to stay in their dorms during the outbreak and provides them with entertainment and an allowance, but that they cannot be banned from going out. Taoyuan houses nearly 120,000 migrant workers, more than any other city in Taiwan.

To close the event, Andrew Wylegala thanked Mayor Cheng for answering member’s questions and for “sharing his vision for how Taiwan not only copes with but emerges stronger from the other side of this pandemic … we will do our best to channel all of this information to AmCham’s members using our website and other channels.”

AmCham Hosts COVID-19 Webinar with Taipei City Government

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The recent COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan has had a major impact on the business community in Taipei. To provide members with the latest information regarding safety and relief measures for companies operating in Taipei, AmCham hosted a webinar on June 18 with Taipei City Deputy Mayor Tsai Ping-kun and Commissioner for External Affairs Ambassador Tom T.C. Chou. Joining them were Deputy Executive Director for External Affairs Adam Yi and Taipei City Hospital Deputy Chief Superintendent Hsu Chia-Chen. The event was moderated by Microsoft Taiwan’s General Manager of Corporate, External and Legal Affairs Vincent Shih.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Mayor Tsai noted that the recent outbreak brought many challenges to Taipei and impacted the economy, particularly the hotel and service industries. By balancing pandemic prevention and economic assistance, Taipei City Government has largely mitigated relevant risks. Tsai stressed the importance of contact tracing and expressed optimism regarding Taiwan’s ability to keep infection rates low until a majority of the population has been vaccinated. He also extended his gratitude to the U.S. government for their donation of vaccines to Taiwan.

During the Q&A session, Yi informed members that the Taipei City government has offered relief measures for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as support for revitalization and adaptation to “the new normal.” Furthermore, foreigners who have lived in Taipei for at least one year can apply for government subsidies. Yi also noted that loans for SMEs, which are distributed from the National Development Fund and the Small & Medium Enterprise Credit Guarantee Fund (SMEG), are available to both local and foreign firms.

Regarding vaccinations, Tsai said that Taiwan was expecting good news regarding international deliveries and referred attendees to the list of vaccination priority groups to determine whether they are eligible for their shot. The government is currently designing an English-language version of Taipei’s vaccine registration system to accommodate the approximately 70,000 foreigners living in Taipei.

Answering a question about school policies during the pandemic, Ambassador Chou stressed the volatility of the current situation but noted that Taipei schools will reopen in September, either in-person or online, regardless of the pandemic situation. Currently, 170,000 students in Taipei are taking online classes, and the government supports underprivileged students by providing them with laptops, tablets, sim cards, and routers on an as-needed basis.

Closing the event, AmCham Taiwan President Andrew Wylegala thanked Taipei City Government for answering the members’ questions and stressed the importance of continued dialogue between government and industry, particularly during the pandemic.

Interested in attending our events? Join us at other upcoming events, click here.

Note: AmCham events are intended primarily for AmCham members and their guests. Many events are open to members’ guests and other non-members, but the attendance of any non-member must be approved in advance. AmCham reserves the right not to admit a non-member to any event without explanation.

COVID-19 Prevention for Foreign Offices and Foreign Businesses

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AmCham had the pleasure to attend a virtual conference entitled, “COVID-19 Prevention Virtual Conference for Foreign Offices and Foreign Businesses” hosted by the Taipei City Government. Speakers from the Taipei City Government included External Affairs Commissioner Tom Chou, Department of Finance Deputy Commissioner Hu Hsiao-lan, and Department of Economic Development Deputy Commissioner. The program highlighted Taipei City’s epidemic prevention and relief measures, as well as provided useful resources for foreign businesses in Taipei.

See the full presentation below:

AmCham Taiwan Logo Design Competition

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Summary Background

The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei changed its name to the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan in January 2021. This change coincided with its 70th anniversary celebration and AmCham has revised its existing logo (as set out above) to honor this milestone for 2021 only. The original logo dates back to the 1990s and it is time for a new look.

The Board of Governors and AmCham staff would like to invite amateur or professional designers to help AmCham Taiwan design a new logo. The new logo will reflect the Chamber’s new identity and be used effective January 2022. The competition and prize details for the winning design are set out below. We look forward to your proposals!

Submission Specifications

  1. Logo designs must be submitted by email to [email protected].
  • Logo format: Must be submitted in JPG, PNG, or AI file format.
  • Logo resolution: 300 dpi or a minimum resolution of 1280 x 960.
  • File style and size: Cannot exceed 10 MB.
  • Color and B/W versions should be included.
  1. No more than two designs per entrant and submission.
  2. The email must include the name, address, email, and phone number of the entrant.
  3. The name “AmCham Taiwan” may, at the discretion of the designer, be incorporated into the logo design.
  4. The e-mail should include a text file with a brief explanation of the logo (shape, colors specifications, letters type) and explanation of the design, not to exceed 100 words.

Schedule

  • Competition proposal submission deadline: July 4, 2021
  • The winning design will be chosen no later than October 15, 2021.
  • The winner will be announced at the Chamber’s 70th Anniversary event. (Please note: Due to COVID-19 Level 3 restrictions, this event may be postponed to a later date, which may result in the delay of our announcement.)

Criteria for Judging:

Logo design submissions will be evaluated by AmCham Board members and staff according to the following criteria:

Criteria Percentage
Overall image / Concept 40%
Originality / Creativity 30%
Practicability 30%

Please note: AmCham will conduct a trademark search of the winning design. The artist will be held accountable for any issues that may arise regarding the originality and authenticity of the design.

Prize:

The winner will receive the following:

  • 1 bottle of John Walker & Son XR21 Whisky
  • 2 tickets to the 2021 AmCham American Ball
  • 1 ticket to AmCham’s 70th Anniversary reception and recognition as the competition winner at the event

    *Important notice:     In accordance with the Central Epidemic Command Center’s COVID-19 Level 3 guidelines, AmCham is taking precautionary measures to help contain the spread of the virus. Prizes or terms are subject to change without notice or liability.

Intellectual Property

  1. All entries will become the sole property of AmCham Taiwan and may be displayed publicly on the AmCham Taiwan website.
  2. All logos received will become the property of AmCham Taiwan, which retains the right to make amendments to any part(s) of the logo.
  3. The logo design must be the entrant’s original creation and must not have been previously published or trademarked. The logo design must not infringe on the creative work of others or their trademark rights.

Don Shapiro Honored by AmCham

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More than 70 AmCham Taipei members and guests gathered at the Marco Polo Lounge on the 38th floor of Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel last week to honor Don Shapiro, Senior Director and Editor-in-chief of Taiwan Business TOPICS Magazine, for his over 50-year career in Taiwan. Guests enjoyed a selection of delicious food and a free flow of drinks while appreciating the beautiful view of the Taipei skyline.

From January 1, Don will serve as Senior Advisor to the Chamber on a part-time basis.

AmCham President Leo Seewald thanked Don for his 18 years of outstanding service to the Chamber, noting that a total of 222 monthly editions of TOPICS have been published under his direction. As a token of the Chamber’s appreciation, Seewald presented Don with a drawing depicting him together with the rest of the AmCham staff.

Among the many guests attending the event was David Lee, Secretary-General to the President and a former Foreign Minister and National Security Council chief. Lee shared an anecdote of how he has known Shapiro since Don gave him his first job some 45 years ago at the at the Trade Winds Inc. publishing company. Expressing thanks on behalf of the Taiwan government, Lee commended Don for his contributions to strengthening U.S.-Taiwan bilateral relations.

The Chamber also prepared a video reviewing Don’s career and lifetime achievements.

Announcing the Graduates of the First Class of NextGen Leadership Program

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AmCham is pleased to announce the graduates of the first class of the year-long NextGen Leadership Program. It’s been an exciting year launching the program, and we have been proud to see our NextGen Leaders’ passion, persistence, and tremendous growth throughout the year. The Chamber was delighted to have AmCham Governors Paulus Mok, Country Officer of Citibank Taiwan, and Albert Chang, Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company Taiwan Office, speak about their career paths at the graduation ceremony. We hope their stories will help to inspire and provide guidance for the graduates in their development to becoming successful leaders.  Congratulations to the graduates of the 2020 NextGen Leadership Program!

Anne Hsu 3M Taiwan Sr. Division Manager
Benson Hsu 3M Taiwan Financial Planning & Analysis Manager
Frank Wu 3M Taiwan Sr. Division Manager
Gloria Hsiao 3M Taiwan Marketing Operation Head, CHIM Division
Jassica Wang 3M Taiwan Division manager
Rebecca Huang 3M Taiwan Marketing Development Manager
Stacy Huang 3M Taiwan Legal Counsel
Carol Yang Abbott Laboratories Service Corp. Senior Trade Marketing Manager
Charlene Liu Abbott Laboratories Service Corp. Business Development & Market Access Manager
Elsa Lin Abbott Laboratories Service Corp. Marketing Manager
Barnard Yu Amgen Taiwan Limited Associate Medical Director
Cindy Shih Amway Taiwan Co. Ltd. Head of Key accounts management and Biosimilars
Yen-Po Chen Amway Legal and Governmental Affairs Manager
Jordan Huang BABI Corp. International Sales Manager
Teresa Huang BABI Corp. Operations Manager
Angelica Wang Bechtel / Pacific Engineers and Constructors,  Co.  Ltd (PECL) Deputy Manager of Renewables Business Development
Brenda Pao Biogen Taiwan Ltd. Business Unit Manager, SMA
Yiya Chen Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd. Director, Commercial Strategy & Operations
Jessica Chang China Development Financial Holding Corp. Director
Leslley Wang Ford Lio Ho Motor Co., Ltd. Government Affairs Manager
Ariel Chan Johnson & Johnson Medical Taiwan Associate Product Manager
Jill Chen JT Tobacco International Taiwan Corp. Corporate Affairs Manager
Allen Cheng JT Tobacco International Taiwan Corp. People & Culture Strategy Supervisor
Joseph Tseng K&L Gates Counsel
Patrick Ng Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center Project Manager
Kuan-Yu Lai LCS & Partners Counsel
Evan Sheu Makalot. Industrial. Co., Ltd. Project Manager
Aaron Huang Prudential Life Insurance Company of Taiwan Associate Project Manager
Sonia Yu Prudential Life Insurance Company of Taiwan Section head of Customer Experience
Helen Chen SEMI Taiwan Manager

Interested in joining the NextGen Leadership Program? We’re always taking applications, so apply today!

Note: AmCham NextGen Leadership Program is open to all individuals, but the program is intended primarily for AmCham member companies. AmCham reserves the right not to admit applications without explanation.

2020 AGM Election Results

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AmCham thanks its members for attending the Annual General Meeting and helping us to meet the quorum. We are pleased to announce the results of the 2020 Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at the Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel. The election results were compiled by Deloitte & Touche. The elected Governors and Supervisors are listed in alphabetical order. Read more about the event here.

2021-2022 Governors (Serving a two-year term, beginning January 1, 2021):

2021 Supervisors (Serving a one-year term, beginning January 1, 2021):

Other Business Items on the Ballot were all approved. 

With the help of the staff at Deloitte & Touche, we were able to successfully compile the election results for this year. Congratulations to the newly elected Governors and Supervisors!