The economic and trade relations between Taiwan and Germany are based on a solid foundation. It was this solid foundation which helped the two countries overcome the negative influence of SARS, which placed a major burden on companies and institutions in terms of economic losses and additional burdens. In the year 2002 the bilateral trade volume between Germany and Taiwan reached nearly US$11 billion, which is the best result since the boom year of 2000. Due to consistent trade promotion activities and the efforts of industries, bilateral trade increased even further in the first eight months of this year.
This achievement is the result of the stable development of close trade and investment relations between Germany and Taiwan which have developed continuously since the 1980s. At present, Taiwan is the fourth largest trading partner of Germany in Asia and Germany is Taiwan's largest trading partner in Europe.
The Taiwanese economy has set a new course for economic development which is mapped in a new strategic plan called "Challenge 2008," offering new market opportunities in the fields of infrastructure, high-tech and service industries. German companies and products contribute to the new phase of economic transformation in Taiwan and in many areas, German companies and their engineering and products play an important role in the process of modernization. For instance, German technology is applied in Taiwan's core high-tech industries like semiconductors and flat panel production, and major infrastructure projects are under way with German technology and participation.
In addition, German consumer products are in high demand among Taiwanese customers and are much appreciated for their sophisticated product design and quality. For this reason, and to increase brand awareness and introduce new products to the Taiwanese consumer, the German Trade Office Taipei is planning a special German consumer goods show in the spring of 2004.
Products and "Made in Germany" quality are successfully represented in Taiwanese traditional market sectors such as machinery and electrical devices, transport equipment and automobiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and others. German companies are aware of the opportunities which lay ahead in the next decade, especially after Taiwan's entry into WTO and successful market entry in segments of the banking, retail, insurance, travel and service sectors.
After the success of the German-Taiwanese Environmental Symposium in 2002, an environmental specialist (Environmental-Area-Manager) was established at the German Trade Office (GTO) in 2003 to promote and introduce sophisticated German environmental technology to the Taiwanese market. In autumn 2003, the Environmental-Area-Manager accompanied a high-ranking delegation from the Environmental Protection Agency to Germany.
Taiwan has promoted the development of a knowledge-based economy. Since Germany's dual vocational system is a well established professional education system, the GTO has engaged in a project to introduce and implement a similar system to Taiwan. As a long-term project it is also aimed at supporting the education and training of young people in Taiwan.
The German Trade Office has been helping and supporting German and Taiwanese businesses in Taiwan and Germany for more than 22 years.
Germany is one of the most important business locations for Taiwanese companies in Europe and is the gateway for entering the European market, especially the new emerging markets in Eastern Europe. Currently, around 200 companies from Taiwan have established a company, branch office or representative office in Germany and have invested around US$120 million. Many came with the help of the German Trade Office Taipei. In 2002, German companies in Taiwan have invested around US$750 million in 250 projects and have positioned themselves among local and global competitors in terms of quality and reliability of products and services.
Germany has a worldwide reputation as a trade fair country. About two-thirds of the leading trade fairs worldwide are held in Germany. Taiwanese companies are traditionally among the largest participants in Germany's leading trade fairs like CEBIT, IFA, or ISPO. In total, about 4,000 exhibitors from Taiwan participated in German trade fairs in 2002 which makes Taiwan the second largest exhibitor group from Asia.
Finally, the German Trade Office Taipei would like to thank the Taiwanese authorities for their help and support. We convey our best wishes to the German and Taiwanese enterprises in Germany and Taiwan for a prosperous future and continued good business.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique