The Jordanian Commercial Office (JCO) is dedicated to the promotion of commercial, cultural and tourism ties between Jordan and Taiwan. The JCO stimulates Taiwanese exports to Jordan as well as Taiwanese investments in Jordan. The incumbent Director of JCO, Mr. Bilal N. Hmoud, who took the post around four years ago, stressed the ties between Jordan and Taiwan are very close, and the Office is playing a role bridging both sides.
"The main function of JCO is to boost the exchanges in all aspects with an emphasis on the economic ties. And we also help in providing the businessmen here in Taiwan with the investment information they need," Mr. Hmoud indicated. Jordan, a politically and socially stable society which adopted the concepts of peace and tolerance, a country small in its size, big in its ambitions and opportunities. Strategically located in the heart of the middle east, with direct access to the fast growing neighboring markets namely, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Palestinian National Authority & Israel, a market totaling more than 160 million people.
The Director pointed out the advantages of investing in Jordan by saying, "Jordan is a member of the WTO, and it's one of four countries in the world having a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States of America. Plus, Jordan also enjoys free trade agreement with the European Union and several Arabian nations."
Jordan: A land with great business potential
Jordan is now open more than ever for foreign investors offering them golden opportunities and excellent investment climate. One of which is the Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ). "Manufacturers in the QIZ's can export their products to the U.S. market quota free and duty free. The investors in the QIZ's will have their export earnings 100 percent exempt from income tax, customs duties," said Mr. Hmoud.
In addition, Jordan's another business opportunity is the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. This duty-free zone was launched in January 2001 and is in a very strategic location of the Aqaba Gulf. The area is on the borders of Saudi Arabia, Israel and very close to Egypt. Investors can have 100 percent ownership and they can repatriate all capital and profits. The Director said that with so many advantages, Jordan offers plenty of business opportunities for Taiwan investors, and the Office has been making a great deal of efforts in promoting it in Taiwan. "We also arrange Taiwan investors to have a visit to Jordan and to explore the potential there.
Jordan: Where adventure awaits you
When it comes to tourism, Mr. Hmoud strongly recommended Jordan to Taiwanese. A visit to Jordan brings a return to respected and hallowed tradition. Jordanians are very friendly, outgoing people. They are innately hopeful and enjoy having guests and visitors in their country and in their homes. The visitor is made welcome whenever he goes, whether in the capital city of Amman, in one of the outlying towns and villages, or while visiting the historic sites and archaeological digs to be found throughout the land. "No matter where visitors travel in Jordan, he or she is always surrounded by warm hospitality of the Jordanian people," Mr. Hmoud added.
Petra: A must see attraction
A two and a half hour drive south from Amman on the King's Highway leads to Wadi Musa and Petra. The visitor enters Petra through a 1.2 kilometers-long narrow defile through the mountains which opens up to a spectacular view of the Treasury, or Khazneh in Arabic. Petra, the Nabatean Kingdom's capital, is over 2,000 years old and contains over 800 mountains, some built but most carved our of the natural rock. They include tombs, temples, houses, theaters and elaborate water systems.
The mesmerizing rose-red city of Petra is a must for any visitor to Jordan. This ancient Nabatean city is so rich in history that everyday something new is being discovered.
Jerash & the Cities of the Decapoli
Traveling an hour north of Amman, you will find yourself in one of the few remaining Greco-Roman outposts in the world. Jerash is probably the best preserved city of the Decapolis. The Decapolis was a loose association of ten co-Roman cities in north Jordan, Syria and Palestine. Every summer, for two weeks, Jerash comes to life during the Jerash festival of Culture and Arts. Jordanian and international troupes perform music, dance, poetry and drama, and craft displays of local artists and artisans add color to the festival.
The Dead Sea
About half an hour drive from Amman, the capital, it is the lowest point on earth - 400 meters below sea level, enjoy floating over the salty sea which have a 28 percent concentration which enables the swimmer to float easily, the visitor to the Dead Sea should try the mud baths which is proved to be excellent for skin.
Future goals of the Jco
Talk about the Office's goals for the future, the Director clearly expressed his ambitions saying, "to boost substantially the bilateral cooperation and to have more exchanges between Jordan and Taiwan, especially in the economic arena."
FALSE DOCUMENTS? Actor William Liao said he was ‘voluntarily cooperating’ with police after a suspect was accused of helping to produce false medical certificates Police yesterday questioned at least six entertainers amid allegations of evasion of compulsory military service, with Lee Chuan (李銓), a member of boy band Choc7 (超克7), and actor Daniel Chen (陳大天) among those summoned. The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office in January launched an investigation into a group that was allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified medical documents. Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) has been accused of being one of the group’s clients. As the investigation expanded, investigators at New Taipei City’s Yonghe Precinct said that other entertainers commissioned the group to obtain false documents. The main suspect, a man surnamed
DEMOGRAPHICS: Robotics is the most promising answer to looming labor woes, the long-term care system and national contingency response, an official said Taiwan is to launch a five-year plan to boost the robotics industry in a bid to address labor shortages stemming from a declining and aging population, the Executive Yuan said yesterday. The government approved the initiative, dubbed the Smart Robotics Industry Promotion Plan, via executive order, senior officials told a post-Cabinet meeting news conference in Taipei. Taiwan’s population decline would strain the economy and the nation’s ability to care for vulnerable and elderly people, said Peter Hong (洪樂文), who heads the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) Department of Engineering and Technologies. Projections show that the proportion of Taiwanese 65 or older would
The government is considering polices to increase rental subsidies for people living in social housing who get married and have children, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. During an interview with the Plain Law Movement (法律白話文) podcast, Cho said that housing prices cannot be brought down overnight without affecting banks and mortgages. Therefore, the government is focusing on providing more aid for young people by taking 3 to 5 percent of urban renewal projects and zone expropriations and using that land for social housing, he said. Single people living in social housing who get married and become parents could obtain 50 percent more
Democracies must remain united in the face of a shifting geopolitical landscape, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Tuesday, while emphasizing the importance of Taiwan’s security to the world. “Taiwan’s security is essential to regional stability and to defending democratic values amid mounting authoritarianism,” Tsai said at the annual forum in the Danish capital. Noting a “new geopolitical landscape” in which global trade and security face “uncertainty and unpredictability,” Tsai said that democracies must remain united and be more committed to building up resilience together in the face of challenges. Resilience “allows us to absorb shocks, adapt under
RSS