Singapore is the most talked about Southeast Asian country among Taiwanese netizens, followed by the Philippines and Malaysia, according to a big data survey released on Saturday by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Rounding out the top five are Indonesia and Myanmar, the survey revealed.
The ministry said Singapore has invited the most discussion among netizens mainly due to its stable economic growth and the high pay it offers to foreign workers, which makes the city state a very attractive country in which to find a job for young Taiwanese.
Controversial Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and the large number of migrant workers in Taiwan triggered discussion about the Philippines, the ministry said.
Also, many Philippine online gaming companies targeting Chinese-speaking markets have aggressively recruited talented Taiwanese because of their Chinese-language skills and the high standard of their work, the ministry said.
Malaysia, which has a large ethnic Chinese population, maintains frequent cultural, educational and business exchanges with Taiwan, the ministry said.
At present, 8 percent of foreign white-collar professionals working in Taiwan are from Malaysia, the third-largest group from a single country after the US and Japan, according to the ministry.
Also, many Taiwanese companies have set up branches in Malaysia and hired Taiwanese to take up sales and managerial positions, it added.
Discussion about Indonesia has focused on how to invest and set up business operations in the country, which has rich natural resources and a vast market of almost 250 million people, the ministry said.
Indonesia’s mining, automaking and manufacturing industries have long been important targets for international investors, it said.
In fifth spot was Myanmar, which has become the most popular investment destination in Southeast Asia since it introduced political reforms in 2010.
Many netizens are interested in the development potential of the Burmese market after the US lifted its economic sanctions on the country, the ministry said.
However, many Taiwanese businessmen based in the country complain about traffic congestion and power outages, the ministry said.
Real estate agent and property developer JSL Construction & Development Co (愛山林) led the average compensation rankings among companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) last year, while contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) finished 14th. JSL Construction paid its employees total average compensation of NT$4.78 million (US$159,701), down 13.5 percent from a year earlier, but still ahead of the most profitable listed tech giants, including TSMC, TWSE data showed. Last year, the average compensation (which includes salary, overtime, bonuses and allowances) paid by TSMC rose 21.6 percent to reach about NT$3.33 million, lifting its ranking by 10 notches
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