Headline News
MAC minister to discuss cross-strait policy in U.S.
Minister Chen Ming-tong of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) will visit the United States from 16 – 23 July.
In Washington, Chen is expected to meet with officials of the Trump Administration, think tank scholars and overseas compatriots to exchange views on issues of mutual concern, cross-strait policies and developments in cross-strait relations.
Chen will also attend an international symposium and discuss Taiwan’s cross-strait policy in New York.
Limited impact on Taiwan expected from U.S.-China trade war
Taiwan is expected to emerge largely unscathed from a potential U.S.-China trade war, but the government is closely monitoring developments and stands ready to act, the Central Bank forecasts.
According to the Central Bank, although Chinese items subject to the additional duty include those sourced from Taiwan, this is not a cause for concern as they are mainly for domestic consumption and account for 0.21 percent of Taiwan’s gross domestic product based on 2017 trade statistics. Affected U.S. products also have no significant connection with Taiwan.
Robust fundamentals like abundant foreign reserves, healthy balance of payments and nearly zero foreign debt put the country in favorable conditions to weather fluctuations in related international capital flows, the Central Bank said.
Economics & Travel
Smart city fair draws participants from 18 countries
Potential buyers and exhibitors from 18 countries have so far registered for the SMART ASIA Taiwan 2018 trade fair to be held in the Taichung International Exhibition Center, from July 26-28.
The exhibition covers three sections: Smart city solutions, smart technology applications and development of smart city-related business opportunities. It also includes five smart zones: Smart buildings, smart transport, smart long-term care, smart manufacturing and smart energy systems.
Exhibitors include Enercon, the biggest wind turbine manufacturer from Germany, major manufacturer of commercial vehicles Scania from Sweden, Taiwan International Ports Corp. and measurement technology company World Metrology Co.
The European Chamber of Commerce co-organizes the fair because of the special interest from companies in Europe in energy efficiency and low carbon emissions.
Taiwan ranks 4th in BERI’s latest global investment report
The U.S. - based Business Environment Risk Intelligence SA listed Taiwan as fourth among 50 countries and territories in its latest Profit Opportunity Recommendation Report.
Ranking equal with the Netherlands, behind first-ranked Switzerland, Singapore and Germany in this order, Taiwan outperforms all other Asian countries.
Taiwan earned a second-best investment 1B rating by its combined score of 68, indicating that conditions merit sustained commitment of equity.
Taiwan is rated on par with the Netherlands in terms of political risks, remittance and repatriation risks.
Taoyuan Airport in top 10 busiest airports
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is ranked among the top 10 busiest airports by Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade representative of the world’s airport authorities.
The airport ranked 10th in international passenger traffic, 6th in international freight traffic and 9th in total air cargo traffic. It handled 44.88 million passengers last year, which represented a year-on-year growth of 6.2%, higher than the top three busiest airports in the world.
Taiwan Tourist Shuttle offers 50% discount
The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle offers a 50% discount on bus fares on all 41 routes to passengers using electronic tickets from July 1 to September 30.
In addition, the Tourism Bureau makes arrangements with shops at the destinations to provide discounts and goodies.
The shuttle service covers and links railway stations and Taiwan High Speed Rail stations with main tourist attractions.