Dear Subscriber,

We want to wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year and a prosperous Year of the Dragon!

This is your last chance to sign up for our annual “GTO Economic Outlook 2024 & Wirtschaftsstammtisch” this Thursday! In the course of this event, we will present you with the results of this year’s Business Confidence Survey. With this we will give you a comprehensive overview of the prevailing political and economic hurdles and expectations encountered by German companies in Taiwan. You will gain valuable insights from prominent German firms, offering detailed perspectives on sectors such as manufacturing, automotive, and semiconductors. Lastly, you should not miss out on the chance to network over delicious German food and beverages. Find further information in our Top News.

We would like to encourage you to sign up for our expert symposium regarding the sporting goods, fitness and leisure equipment. This conference is part of delegation trip that we organized, to connect Taiwanese and German companies in this field. We only have a limited amount of seats left! Make sure to sign up before it's too late! You can find more information in our Top News.

Our colleague Ms. Leonie Yang, General Manager of DEinternational Taiwan Ltd., along with Mr. Pinchao Huang, Senior Project Manager for Trade Fair Services, recently met with representatives from the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers Association (TTVMA). The primary focus of the meeting revolved around the forthcoming International Suppliers Show (IZB 2024), slated to take place from October 22 to 24 in Wolfsburg, Germany. The deliberations were thorough and vigorous, aimed at assessing the collaboration between the two entities for the exhibition and associated industry initiatives. More impressions of the meeting can be found in our GTO News.

Lastly, we welcomed Mr. Patrick Chen, Chairman of TMBA, to our office to explore opportunities for enhanced collaboration between German and Taiwanese machinery firms. TMBA has been a steadfast and valued partner over the years, notably for TMTS, the premier machine tool exhibition in Taiwan for 2024. Remarkably, at TMTS 2024, we have orchestrated the assembly of 23 esteemed German companies, resulting in the creation of a remarkable German Pavilion. This not only marks the largest single-country exhibition space at TMTS 2024 but also serves as a tangible symbol of the strong partnership between Taiwan and Germany within the space of machine tools. Additional information can be found in our GTO News.

We wish you a great, sunny week!

Axel Limberg
Delegate and Chief Representative of German Industry & Commerce in Taiwan
Executive Director of the German Trade Office Taipei

Introduction

The German Trade Office Taipei is happy to announce that we will kick off the year of the Dragon with our annual “GTO Economic Outlook 2024 & Wirtschaftsstammtisch” event on February 22, 2024.

All friends and members of the Taiwanese-German business community are sincerely invited to join our event which includes:

• A presentation on the results of our annual Business Confidence Survey, giving you a comprehensive overview on the current political and economic challenges and expectations of German companies in Taiwan
• An extensive outlook on the future development of the Taiwanese economy
• Insights of specific industries, including manufacturing, automotive and semiconductors provided by experts of leading German companies in Taiwan
• A great networking opportunity with German food and drinks

Event Details & Registration

• Date: February 22, 2024
• Venue: ILLUME Taipei, Grand Ballroom A, 2. Floor
• Registration Time: 16:00 – 16:30
• Event Time: 16:30 – 22:00
• Price: 2,500 NT$
• Agenda: Download

*The price includes dinner including drinks that will be served during the Wirtschaftsstammtisch starting at 19:00.

For more information about this event, please visit our event website.

Introduction

As part of the market development program of the Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate Action, DEinternational Taiwan Ltd., the service unit of the German Trade Office Taipei, is organizing a delegation visit focusing on sporting goods, fitness and leisure equipment, which will take place between March 4 and 8, 2024.

The delegation trip is intended to create a platform for Taiwanese companies that are looking for new brands for their product portfolio and suppliers of high-quality products Made in Germany.

The German Trade Office Taipei will host the German-Taiwanese Conference regarding the sporting goods, fitness and leisure equipment on March 5, 2024.

Following the conference, participants will have the opportunity to get to know the German companies better while enjoying coffee and lunch.

Event Details

• Date: March 5, 2024
• Venue: ILLUME Taipei, 100, Dunhua N. Rd., Songshan Dist., 10547, Taipei, Taiwan
• Event Time: 09:00 – 16:00
• Price: Free of charge

Agenda

Find the agenda and more information about this even on our event website.

Registration

Seats are limited, so make sure to sign up soon to secure your spot in order to learn more about all things sporting and leisure equipment!

GTO Economic Outlook 2024 & Wirtschaftsstammtisch
22.02.2024 | Location: ILLUME Taipei, Grand Ballroom A, 2. Floor

Geschäftsanbahnung für deutsche Hersteller von Sportartikeln, Fitness- und Freizeitgeräten
04.03.-08.03.2024 | Location: Taipei

Expert Symposium: German-Taiwanese Conference Regarding the Sporting Goods, Fitness and Leisure Equipment
05.03.2024 | Location: ILLUME Taipei

Cross-Border Exchange on Cooperation Potential in the Field of E-Mobility Between Taiwan and Germany
15.04-19.04.2024 | Location: Taipei, Kaohsiung

Geschäftsanbahnung für deutsche Hersteller Zweiräder inkl. Zweiradkomponenten
13.-17.05.2024 | Location: Taipei

Become part of our GTO German Business Alliance!
More information about our membership packages on our website.

Ms. Leonie Yang, General Manager of our service unit DEinternational Taiwan Ltd., and Mr. Pinchao Huang, Senior Project Manager Trade Fair Services, visited Mr. Chih-Kwei Wu, the Deputy Secretary-general, Mr. Chi-Tang Chiu, the Deputy Director of Administration Department, Mr. Richard Wu, the Deputy Director of Business Department, and Matt Chen, the Senior Specialist of Business Department of the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers Association (TTVMA).

The meeting topic was focused on the upcoming International Suppliers Show (IZB 2024) which will be held from October 22 to 24 in Wolfsburg, Germany. The discussions were also in-depth and intensive, with the aim of evaluating the cooperation between the two parties at the exhibition and related industry projects.

IZB 2024 is a professional B2B trade fair in Wolfsburg, Germany, with a history of over 20 years since 2001. The fair attracts international automobile manufacturers and their suppliers every year and has become an important trade fair for the automobile industry in Europe. Wolfsburg, where the exhibition is held, is also the headquarters of the Volkswagen Group and is known as the automobile city. 

We are very looking forward to our future cooperation with TTVMA regarding the automotive industry of Taiwan and Germany!

Our Director Mr. Axel Limberg and our General Manager Ms. Leonie Yang welcomed Mr. Patrick Chen, Chairman of TMBA to our office to discuss about further cooperation between German and Taiwanese machinery companies. TMBA has been our good and reliable partner for years, particularly for TMTS – the largest machine tool exhibition in Taiwan in 2024, and TMTS is definitely one of the key projects for our cooperation this year!

Notably, at TMTS 2024, we have successfully gathered 23 top German enterprises to form an impressive German Pavilion. This will not only be the largest single-country exhibition area at TMTS 2024, but it also symbolizes the close cooperation between Taiwan and Germany in the field of machine tools. This year, exhibitors in the German Pavilion will showcase a diverse array of products and services, demonstrating Germany's leading technology and innovative capabilities in the industry. Our exhibitors will also be echoing the main axes of the year - digital transformation and green energy conservation to jointly enhance the overall competitiveness and added value of the industry value chain.

Want to learn more about our exhibitors at TMTS 2024? Then check our InfoBrief Special Edition on our website for more detailed information.

In addition to the exhibition, we are also very looking forward to more in-depth cooperation with TMBA in the future to connect Taiwanese and German machinery companies together!

Introduction

The second “Made in Germany” EUREM European Energy Management Training Course was successfully completed in October 2023 and we are currently accepting registrations for the third course, starting this March.

The EUREM is a standardized further education to train employees to obtain the necessary know-how to identify energy efficiency potentials in your company. This not only saves you costs, but it will also help you reach your goals for sustainability and decarbonization.

Benefits

• Coverage of all major technologies
• Management aspects for precise calculations
• Long-term network
• Extra-Occupational online Training
• Comprehensive energy concept for savings during the training

Want to know more about how previous participants benefitted from their EUREM Energy Efficiency Training? Then read more in our experience reports below!

• How a EUREM energy-saving project saves a company over NT$26 million annually
• How an engineer's energy-saving initiative reduces its company's lighting costs by 57% in Taiwan
• How a Taiwanese engineer achieves 12% energy savings by creating a water-saving electromechanical system

Program Details

• Program start: Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 19:00
• Duration: 160 units of 45 minutes (145 teaching units + 15 units self-study and project work) over 7 – 8 months
• Training times: Weekdays (19:00 – 22:00) and Saturdays (09:00 – 16:00)
• Fully online courses in English
  

Certificate

Participants who complete the class, pass the written examination and report, obtain the "European Energy Professionals" international certificate issued by the German Nuremberg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. More than 6,000 professionals worldwide have been awarded this certificate and Taiwanese graduates will become part of this international network.

Participation Fees

Signing Up

If your company is interested in sending an employee to join the course to become a certified European Energy Manager, or if you would like to discuss content and benefits in detail, you are very welcome to contact our colleague Ms. Ellie Kan at kan.ellie@taiwan.ahk.de or 02-7735-7522.

Find more information on our official EUREM website.

Vom 15. bis 19. April 2024 findet unsere Delegationsreise nach Taiwan im Bereich Elektromobilität statt. Die Reise wird im Rahmen des Programms zur Internationalisierung der Regionen im Strukturwandel von GTAI Germany Trade and Invest durchgeführt und vom BMWK Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz gefördert. In Zusammenarbeit mit der Investitionsförderungsgesellschaft NRW.Global Business und den Unternehmensclustern automotiveland.nrw und der Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier für DEinternational Taiwan, die Dienstleistungsgesellschaft des Deutschen Wirtschaftsbüros Taipei (AHK Taiwan) ein spannendes fünftägiges Programm durch, bei dem sich deutsche Unternehmen vernetzen können und umfangreiche Einblicke in die taiwanische Elektromobilitätsbranche erhalten.

Taiwan beherbergt bereits weltweit führende Unternehmen in den Bereichen Elektronik und Halbleiter. Das über Jahrzehnte angesammelte Knowhow in der Produktentwicklung und Massenproduktion soll dazu genutzt werden, künftig auch in der Elektromobilität eine führende Rolle einzunehmen. Bereits jetzt sind Hersteller wie Tesla stark auf Komponenten aus taiwanischer Fertigung angewiesen. Für deutsche Unternehmen die ideale Möglichkeit, neue Anreize für Innovationen und Geschäftsmodelle sowie neue Kooperations- und Vertriebspartner zu gewinnen.

Weiterführende Informationen sowie einen Link zur Anmeldung finden Sie auf dieser Website.

Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Teilnahme!

The 2024 ITB Berlin is set to take place in March! GTO is offering an exclusive discount on tickets.

The ITB Berlin, with a history of over 50 years, will be held from March 5 to 7 in Berlin this year. As the world's largest B2B travel trade show, it annually attracts tens of thousands of travel professionals and experts from around the globe. Not only is it a major event in the travel industry, but it also serves as an excellent platform for observation and exchange among travel businesses.

ITB Berlin embraces the spirit of "Pioneering the Transition in Travel & Tourism. Together" and offers the latest travel information to the industry through four main stages with a total of 17 thematic tracks. It's also an excellent opportunity to attract European tourists to visit Taiwan.

Tickets for the ITB Berlin 2024 are now on sale. Enter the exclusive discount code ITB24_AV_TW_7070 to enjoy a 5% discount.

For more information about the exhibition and tickets, please refer to our website.

Step aboard the future of transportation at BUS2BUS 2024, where innovation meets the open road! Get ready to explore the next generation of buses that redefine the journey. All aboard for a thrilling ride into the future!

BUS2BUS 2024 is taking place from April 24 - 25 in Berlin, the trade fair is an innovative business platform for the bus and supplier industry in Germany and Europe, focusing exclusively on the bus industry. The show is expected to be bigger than last year, with more buses and test drive opportunities than ever before.

Combining a trade show, an informative Future Forum, and presentations & workshops, it covers the entire spectrum of future technologies and showcases the latest trends and innovations in the bus industry.

One ticket, many possibilities: The BUS2BUS 2024 ticket includes practical workshops and test drives in advanced vehicles, access to a two-day stage program with in-depth insights into the industry and the opportunity to make contacts with industry leaders and prominent political decision-makers to shape the future of mobility together.

Purchase your ticket now with our GTO voucher code: AV_TW_BUS24_1294 to enjoy a discount starting from 25% off.

If you have any questions regarding ticketing, please contact our colleague Ms. Peng (02-7735-7524 / peng.venus@taiwan.ahk.de) for further information.

The Scaleup Landing Pad supports growing GreenTech businesses from the fields of mobility, logistics, energy and construction in their expansion to Germany and Europe out of Hamburg.

Your greentech scaleup offers solutions in the fields of mobility, logistics, energy and construction? You can apply for the Landing Pad if your business...

... is between 3 and 10 years old.
... has a proven product-market fit in your home market.
... shows proof of a strong growth phase within the past two years.
... does not have a base in Hamburg nor headquarters in Germany.
... is able to actively participate in Hamburg’s ecosystem during the participation in the Landing Pad.

Interested scale-ups can submit their application online via the Landing Pad website. All submissions will be assessed by a panel of experts. The first admission phase and onboarding are expected to begin in spring.

Approved scale-ups are advised in the programme and encouraged to set up business and establish themselves in Hamburg with the help of individual incentives & services, networks and support (single point of contact). The incentives are divided into Business Development, Location Consulting, Living & Workspace and Business Services. Participating scale-ups receive personalised one-to-one support tailored to their individual needs.

After a weak previous year, Taiwan's foreign trade is on the verge of recovery. Official forecasts predict an increase in exports of 6.3 percent for the current year. As recently as 2023, exports had slumped by almost 10 percent. However, demand from abroad is likely to pick up again in the coming months, for example for applications in the field of artificial intelligence.

Falling inventories and the low prior-year base are also expected to have a positive impact on the export result. Exports have already bottomed out monthly over the course of 2023 and even started to grow again towards the end of the year. Exports are of crucial importance for the Taiwanese economy, as they contribute around 60 per cent to gross domestic product (GDP).

According to official estimates, imports will also increase strongly by 7.4 percent in the current year. In the previous year, they fell by just under 18 percent. Taiwan's GDP is also expected to grow more significantly again in 2024, with an increase of more than 3 percent, following recent growth of just 1.4 percent. The bottom line is that business opportunities for German companies on the island are improving again.

Find the full article on the GTAI website (in German).

Come and celebrate the first All-Chambers event of 2024 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Always well attended, the All-Chambers Happy Hour is a great chance to network in a beautiful and relaxed setting.

Event Details

• Date: February 29, 2024
• Time: 18:00 - 21:30
• Venue: 2F, The Residence, Grand Hyatt Taipei
• Address: 2F, No.2 SongShou Road, Taipei, Taiwan/ 台北市松壽路2號
• Price: 1,300 NT$ for members and guests (including 3 drinks) / 1,600 NT$ for walk-ins

Please be sure to register for this event below!

The German Institute in Taipei and the Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany are announcing a call for proposal for joint R&D projects.

Applicants are expected to develop ready-to-market solutions for products, technology-based services or methods in all technological and application areas, which have strong market potential. The Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Institute in Taipei will respectively provide access to public funding for joint projects.

The Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany (Coordinator: Project Office of A+ Industrial Innovative R&D Program, AIIP PO) and the German Institute in Taipei (Coordinator: AiF Projekt GmbH) will provide all necessary assistance to project partners during all the project proposal, evaluation and monitoring phases.

AIIP PO and AiF Projekt GmbH will evaluate the submitted proposals independently and communicate the results within about 5 months after receiving the proposal.

Find more information on their website.

Nach einer ersten Prognose des Verbands der deutschen Messewirtschaft AUMA waren 2023 wenigstens 180.000 ausstellende Unternehmen und 11,5 Millionen Besucherinnen und Besucher zu Gast auf deutschen Messegeländen. Im Vorjahr wurden noch rund 40.000 Aussteller und fast vier Millionen Besucher weniger gezählt. Nach dem Ende der Corona-Beschränkungen haben sich insbesondere die internationalen Leitmessen in Deutschland stark erholt.

2024 sind mehr als 330 Messen in Deutschland geplant – davon fast 180 nationale oder internationale Leitmessen der Wirtschaftszweige. Besonders dicht im ersten Quartal des Messekalenders wird es Anfang Februar und im gesamten März werden, wenn teilweise ein gutes Dutzend Messen zeitgleich laufen.

Den vollen Artikel finden Sie auf der AUMA website.

Taiwan Exports Surge 18.1% in January

Taiwan’s exports surged by 18.1% in January compared to the same month last year, underlining a recovery for the island’s economy, the government said on February 7.

The total for the month reached US$37.19 billion (NT$1.16 trillion), according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF). The January figures marked the strongest increase in 21 months, and the third consecutive rise, per CNA.

Information and communication products recorded their strongest-ever performance, with exports doubling in January. Electronic parts registered an increase of 7.5% following a decline in December.

(Last access: 19.02.2024 / Taiwan News)

Taiwan Stock Market Index Roars to Record High

The Taiwan Stock Exchange (TAIEX) Index on Thursday (Feb. 15) roared into the Year of the Dragon by hitting a record high of over 18,700 in early trading.

On the first day of trading since the start of a weeklong Lunar New Year hiatus, Taiwan's stocks were buoyed by a strong rebound of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) stock of 9.7% to a new high of NT$709 per share, reported CNA. The TAIEX's main index shot up by 629 points in the morning session reaching a peak of 18,725, setting a new record intraday high. The previous record was 18,619.61 points set on Jan. 5, 2022.

(Last access: 19.02.2024 / Taiwan News)

TSMC Reports Highest Ever January Sales

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker reported its highest-ever January sales with market analysts saying the chipmaker benefited from solid demand for high performance computing (HPC) devices.

In a statement, TSMC said it posted NT$215.79 billion (US$6.87 billion) in consolidated sales in January, up 7.9 percent from a year earlier. January revenue also rose 22.4 percent from a month earlier.

The growth in TSMC's sales echoed the chipmaker's forecast, made at an investor conference held on Jan. 18, that the company will see a boost from strong demand for the 3-nanometer process to produce smartphones and HPC applications in 2024.

(Last access: 19.02.2024 / Focus Taiwan)

Hon Hai Sees AI Servers as Sales Driver in 2024

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the world's largest contract electronics maker, expects AI servers to be an important driver of the company's sales growth in 2024.

Speaking after a ceremony held last Saturday to get the blessings of local gods in the new Year of the Dragon, their spokesman said artificial intelligence development is expected to see rapid growth in 2024 and 2025.

Given that growth and the more than 40 percent share of the global AI server market already held by Hon Hai, known globally as Foxconn, and other companies under its corporate umbrella, AI-related products such as servers should spur sales growth in the coming year.

(Last access: 19.02.2023 / Focus Taiwan)