we hope you have enjoyed a rejuvenating Easter holiday filled with moments of joy and chocolate eggs – a cherished German tradition we dearly miss here in Taiwan.

At the beginning we wish to inform you that our former Executive Director Mr. Axel Limberg left our office at the end of March. After seven years of service, Mr. Limberg will be returning to Germany to take on new endeavors. We thank Mr. Limberg for his efforts and wish him and his wife all the best for their personal and professional future. Since April 1, our colleague Ms. Leonie Yang took over as Acting Delegate of German Business and Head of the German Trade Office Taipei.

Let us proceed by reflecting on our German Pavilion at TMTS 2024 where innovation took center stage. With 23 distinguished exhibitors showcasing their latest products and services, our German Pavilion was present amidst the bustling halls of the Nangang Exhibition Center. Our pavilion featured several engaging activities, from insightful forums to engaging happy hours. Check out our Top News for a comprehensive review of last week’s major event.

Looking ahead, we are thrilled to announce a promising networking event in exactly two weeks on April 16. As part of the German delegation trip to Taiwan, initiated by GTAI, and in collaboration with NRW Global Business, our service unit DEinternational will create an event that serves as a cornerstone for driving cross-border exchange in the field of e-mobility between Taiwan and Germany. Further details on what to expect and how to register await you in our Top News.

Besides, we recently hosted a webinar that focused on the Taiwanese bicycle market as Taiwan presents a wealth of opportunities for German manufacturers. Discover more about our webinar and how you can be a part of our two-wheeler business initiation trip in our GTO News. Seize this exciting opportunity now!

Turning our gaze towards automotive excellence, Porsche has introduced the Macan T in Taiwan. Learn more about their newest product and immerse yourself in the world of precision engineering and dynamic performance in our German Company News.

Now that spring has sprung, we hope that you will be able to sow and reap success as we witness the blossoming of new and fresh starts, much like the vibrant flowers outside.

Kind regards,

German Trade Office Taipei

Last Wednesday marked the first day of the Taiwan International Machine Tool Show (TMTS) 2024!

This year’s German Pavilion featured a distinguished array of 23 different exhibitors, each showcasing their newest innovations, products, and services. Our German companies offered a diverse spectrum, from optoelectronics to precision toolholders. We were happy to see so many attendees showing great interest and enthusiasm in our booths.

On top of each company displaying their latest products and services, we also organized two insightful forums. The first forum titled “Smart Manufacturing: When Machine Tools Meet Rubber & Plastic Industry” took place Wednesday afternoon and the other one “Leading the Machine Tool Industry to Break Through Limits and Embrace the New Era” was held on Friday. Additionally, our German Pavilion hosted a happy hour on all five days from 3 to 4 pm.

On the second day, amidst the bustling atmosphere within the halls of Nangang Exhibition Center, we had the privilege of hosting esteemed guests!

We were honored that Mr. Lai Ching-te, the current Vice President and future President, paid a special visit and our colleague Mrs. Leonie Yang introduce them to our German Pavilion during the tour in the morning. She warmly received the special guests and provided a brief overview.

Moreover, we also welcomed an Indian influencer specialized in the machinery sector as well as 18 journalists from 9 different countries and regions, including three German journalists. The media tour lasted for 20 minutes and they gained insights into our exhibitors’ latest innovations.

We are very pleased with the outcome of our German Pavilion and look forward to participating in the next TMTS. More details about our pavilion and the events can be found on our official website.

On April 16, DEinternational Taiwan, the service unit of the German Trade Office Taipei (AHK Taiwan), will co-organize a networking event in the field of E-Mobility together with NRW Global Business, as part of the German delegation trip to Taiwan, initiated by GTAI. The event is partnered by TAITRA, the German company clusters automotiveland nrw, and Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier, and IHK Köln.

The networking event is intended to create a platform for Taiwanese and German organizations including companies, associations, research and development centers, universities, and governmental institutions.

The networking event consists of company presentations, keynote speeches, a joint lunch, and time for individual 1 by 1 exchange.

Details

Date: 16 April 2024
Time: 09:00 – 14:30
Place: Shangri-La Taipei - B1 Metro Suite  (No.201, Tun Hwa South Road, Section 2, Taipei)
Language: English
Fee: Free of charge

Preliminary Agenda

Registration

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

Driving Cross-Border Exchange in the Field of E-Mobility Between Taiwan and Germany into the Future (Networking Event)
16.04.2024 | Location: Taipei

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

On Tuesday, we hosted a webinar on the topics of Taiwan's economy and its attractiveness for German two-wheeler and two-wheeler component manufacturers. The webinar is part of a business initiation trip to Taiwan, scheduled from May 13 – 17 under the market development programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

The Taiwanese bicycle market offers attractive conditions for German manufacturers. With a production value of 6 billion USD in the first ten months of 2022, the Taiwanese bicycle industry achieved a record high. Taiwan is home to world-leading bicycle and e-scooter manufacturers and a multitude of suppliers cover almost the entire value chain. The goal of our trip is to integrate German products into both supply chains and to directly reach Taiwanese consumers.

If you are also interested in the Taiwanese market for bicycles, bicycle components, e-bikes, scooters, and pedelecs, you can still register until April 19. Further information can be found below (in German).

Wussten Sie, dass der Produktionswert der taiwanischen Fahrradindustrie in den ersten zehn Monaten 2022 einen Rekordwert von 6 Mrd. US$ erreichte? Taiwan beherbergt einige der weltweit führenden Fahrrad- und E-Scooter-Hersteller und die Vielzahl an Zulieferbetrieben decken nahezu die gesamte Wertschöpfungskette ab.

Vom 13. bis 17. Mai 2024 findet eine Geschäftsanbahnungsreise für deutsche Unternehmen nach Taiwan statt. Die Reise wird vom Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz im Rahmen des Markterschließungsprogramms gefördert.

Sichern Sie sich Ihre Teilnahme für die Geschäftsanbahnung nach Taiwan und erschließen Sie den taiwanischen Markt für Zweiräder, Zweiradkomponenten, Fahrräder, E-Bikes, Scooter und Pedelecs, um Ihren idealen Vertriebs- und Geschäftspartner zu finden und wertvolle Einblicke zu erhalten!

Weiterführende Informationen sowie einen Link zur Anmeldung finden Sie auf unserer Webseite.

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.

Taiwan is expanding its public transportation networks, particularly in the northern part of the island. Thus, these plans present lucrative business opportunities for German companies operating in Taiwan. Contributing expertise and supplying components needed in the rail transport sector seem to be promising ventures.

These new projects include a new metro line in Taichung and extensions to existing lines in Taoyuan – the latter aims to finalize the ring-shaped metro system in Taoyuan and connect it more efficiently with the Taipei metropolitan area. The goals are to improve connectivity, reduce travel times and to meet the growing demand for public transportation. The total investment costs are said to be several billion US dollars. Upon completion, these projects will significantly improve transportation accessibility, benefiting both urban and rural areas in Taiwan.

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

Datum: 27. Juni 2024
Uhrzeit: 09:00 – 17:00
Ort: IHK für München und Oberbayern, Max-Joseph-Straße 2, 80333 München, Deutschland
Ansprechpartnerin: Ulrike Tsougenis 
Telefon: +49 89 5116-1449 
E-Mail: tsougenis@muenchen.ihk.de

Die Agenda finden Sie auf der offiziellen Webseite.

For the first time in Asia, the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) will hold its Annual Meeting in Taipei from November 11 – 16, 2024. The theme of the 2024 SWS Annual Meeting will focus on understanding the relationship between wetlands and global climate change, and on engaging in the mitigation and adaptation of global environmental and social issues.

More information about the event, including its symposia and workshops, can be found on the official website (information in Chinese can be found on the lower section of the website) or in the official flyer.

The organizers are currently still looking for a Taiwanese company that is active in the field of natural carbon removal to act as co-chair. Interested companies may contact our colleague Mr. Christoph Lory via email directly; we will then forward the information to the person responsible.

Am 09. Juni 2024 findet die Wahl der Abgeordneten des Europäischen Parlaments aus der Bundesrepublik Deutschland statt.

Deutsche, die außerhalb der Bundesrepublik Deutschland leben, das 16. Lebensjahr vollendet haben und im Bundesgebiet keine Wohnung mehr innehaben, können bei Vorliegen der sonstigen wahlrechtlichen Voraussetzungen an der Wahl teilnehmen.

Für ihre Wahlteilnahme ist u. a. Voraussetzung, dass sie

1.1  am Wahltag seit mindestens drei Monaten in den übrigen Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Union eine Wohnung innehaben oder sich mindestens seit dieser Zeit dort gewöhnlich aufhalten (auf die Dreimonatsfrist wird ein unmittelbar vorausgehender Aufenthalt in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland angerechnet)

oder

1.2  entweder nach Vollendung ihres 14. Lebensjahres mindestens drei Monate ununterbrochen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland eine Wohnung innegehabt oder sich sonst gewöhnlich aufgehalten haben und dieser Aufenthalt nicht länger als 25 Jahre zurückliegt, oder aus anderen Gründen persönlich und unmittelbar Vertrautheit mit den politischen Verhältnissen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland erworben haben und von ihnen betroffen sind,

Einem Antrag, der erst nach dem 19. Mai 2024 bei der zuständigen Gemeindebehörde eingeht, kann nicht mehr entsprochen werden (§ 17 Abs. 1 der Europawahlordnung).

• Antragsvordrucke (Formblätter) sowie informierende Merkblätter sind online auf der Seite der Bundeswahlleiterin verfügbar. Sie können auch bei
  den diplomatischen und berufskonsularischen Vertretungen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland,
• der Bundeswahlleiterin, Statistisches Bundesamt, Zweigstelle Bonn, Postfach 170377, 53929 Bonn, Germany;
• den Kreis- und Stadtwahlleitungen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland angefordert werden.

Weitere Auskünfte erteilt das Deutsche Institut Taipei auf seiner Internetseite.

Taiwan Mulls Cross-Industry Alliances to Lead New Supply Chains

Taiwan can play a leading role in the restructuring of global supply chains in the wake of geopolitical developments, by forming cross-industry alliances, Secretary-General to the President Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Tuesday at a forum in Taipei.

At the forum which discussed companies' strategies to go global, Lin said that together with the government's promotion of industrial innovation, which includes smart manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT), and precision health, Taiwanese enterprises should explore international markets by forming cross-industry alliances.

(Last access: 28.03.2024 / Focus Taiwan)

Taiwan’s Economy on Stable Growth Path

The success of AI fueled Taiwan’s economy to reach its best level in almost two years, with the main economic indicator staying green in February for a second month running, the National Development Council (NDC) said Wednesday (March 27).    

Taiwan uses a five-color scale to symbolize its overall economic performance:

• Blue, which dominated most of last year, stands for contraction
• Yellow-blue represents sluggishness
• Green indicates stable growth
• Yellow-red stands for a warming economy
• Red means the economy is booming or overheating

According to the points system associated with the lights, the economy added two points in February from January to reach 29, the highest level since April 2022. NDC officials said it was obvious that the economy was moving in the right direction, per CNA. 

(Last access: 28.03.2024 / Taiwan News)

Hotai Motor Optimistic About This Year’s Car Sales

Hotai Motor Co Ltd (和泰汽車), distributor of Lexus, Toyota and Hino cars in Taiwan, stood pat on its optimism about new car sales prospects this year. The local automobile market is to register moderate growth this year, with more than 450,000 vehicles likely to be sold, it said. The market is returning to normal, shaking off the disturbance from the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said.

Severe shortages of chips and components, and pandemic restrictions disrupted car production, leading to a large backlog of orders, Hotai spokesman Simon Liu (劉松山) told investors. Last year was a phenomenal year, as a majority of those orders were fulfilled, boosting new car sales in Taiwan to 477,000 units, the strongest performance in 18 years, Liu said.

(Last access: 02.04.2024 / Taipei Times)

TSMC Workers Account for 1.8% of Births in Taiwan

Babies born to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) staff last year accounted for 1.8% of total births.

In its latest issue of the firm's environmental, social, and governance newsletter, TSMC highlighted its efforts to cultivate a diverse and inclusive work environment, supporting employees in balancing family care and career development. In 2023, there were 2,463 children born to TSMC employees, representing 1.8% of the record-low 135,571 births in Taiwan.

It pointed out that in addition to promoting its “TSMC Child Care Benefit Program 2.0,"  to create a “parent-friendly workplace,” it has set up four preschools on the campuses of the science parks in Hsinchu, Taichung, and Tainan. These centers offer a “safe and high-quality learning environment” for employees' children aged 2 to 6, with childcare services available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., aligning with employee work schedules.

(Last access: 02.04.2024 / Taiwan News)