We hope you are doing well. You have probably heard of the recent tremors affecting our island. Fortunately, our office and employees are all doing fine. Our hearts resonate with empathy for those affected by the earthquake. As Taiwan navigates the aftermath with resilience and strength, we extend our support and solidarity to the impacted communities. Simultaneously, the Qingming Festival was celebrated last week, a time for reflection and remembrance. We recognize the brevity of the working week and remain steadfast in our commitment to serve and support you.

In the spirit of forging new connections and driving innovation, we are thrilled to extend an invitation to our upcoming networking event taking place next week on April 16. Coordinated in collaboration with NRW Global Business and as part of the German delegation trip to Taiwan, initiated by GTAI, this event promises to be a cornerstone for cross-border exchange in the realm of e-mobility between Taiwan and Germany. Sign up now to broaden your network and explore avenues for collaboration in this dynamic field. More information can be found in our Top News.

As we eagerly anticipate this event, we also reflect on recent endeavors in the Taiwanese bicycle market. With abundant opportunities awaiting German manufacturers, we invite those keen on exploring this sector to join our upcoming business initiation trip. Discover insights, engage with industry experts, and pave the way for fruitful partnerships in the thriving bicycle market of Taiwan. Our GTO News provide you with further details.

In addition, we are excited to share news from Igus, a valued member of our GTO German Business Alliance. They are igniting creativity with a drawing and painting competition for children, centered around the theme "The Future of Robots." Encourage the young minds in your community to participate and unleash their imagination for a chance to win exciting prizes! Check out our Business Alliance News for more information.

May your week be as sturdy as the mountains and as serene as the calm after the storm.

Kind regards,

German Trade Office Taipei

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

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.

Igus, one of the members of our GTO German Business Alliance, is launching a drawing and painting competition for children in kindergarten and elementary school. Igus invites all children to showcase their creativity and talent.

The theme of this year is “The Future of Robots.” Regardless of how you imagine the robots in the future, they sincerely welcome you to participate in this competition to win prizes!

For further information, please check the official page.

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.

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's Earthquake Economic Fallout to be Minimal, Say Analysts

Taiwan's biggest earthquake in the last 25 years is not likely to affect the global semiconductor supply chain in a major way in the near term. However, prices of electronic devices like smartphones and personal computers may see a momentary spike, according to analysts.

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's eastern coast near Hualien County on Wednesday morning, reportedly killing nine people and injuring more than 1,000.

According to analysts, the semiconductor supply chain is not expected to witness a major impact in the near term.

“It looks like the economic impact will be minimal. The earthquake was centred in Hualien County on Taiwan’s east coast. It is known more as a centre of tourism rather than a centre of business or commerce. If the quake had been centred in Taipei or on the west coast where much of the semiconductor industry is located, the economic impact would be much greater,” said Steve Cochrane, Chief APAC Economist at Moody’s Analytics.

(Last access: 08.04.2024 / Business Standard)

Taiwan Cooperative Expects Growth

State-run Taiwan Cooperative Financial Holding Co (合庫金控) said that it is looking at stable profit growth this year, as the improving economy at home and abroad would benefit core businesses and reverse loss-making overseas operations.

The bank-focused conglomerate gave the guidance during an online investors’ conference and said that economic scenes appear less murky, limiting the need for provisions.

Taiwan’s GDP growth this year is predicted to rise more than 3 percent, much faster than last year’s 1.32 percent.

Net income last year totaled NT$17.88 billion (US$558.92 million), or earnings of NT$1.17 per share, company data showed.

(Last access: 08.04.2024 / Taipei Times)

Hon Hai Reports 2nd Highest March Sales

Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. reported its second highest sales for the month of March, which showed growth from a year earlier, driven by solid demand for smart consumer electronics.

Hon Hai, an iPhone assembler also known as Foxconn in the global market, reported consolidated sales of NT$447.5 billion (US$13.98 billion) for March, up 11.8 percent from a year earlier.

The figure was Hon Hai's second highest for the month of March, after the NT$507.4 billion recorded in March 2022, and was also a 26.97 percent monthly increase, the report showed.

The company said it also recorded year-on-year sales growth in March, driven by large orders for its smart consumer electronics products, as clients were keen to build their inventories, and also by solid demand for cloud-based items, which boosted the revenue of its cloud and networking division.

(Last access: 08.04.2024 / Focus Taiwan)

Earthquake Showcases Resolve of Taiwan’s Chip Sector and Workers

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) was able to bring more than 70% of its production lines back online the next day, following the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan on Wednesday (April 3). 

TSMC’s fast recovery showcases the resilience of Taiwan’s chip industry and its workers, and its experience in earthquake prevention and response. It was also a stark warning of the challenges that chip manufacturers face in earthquake-prone areas in Asia, per Nikkei Asia.

Chips, which are found in everything from iPhones and computers to electric vehicles, rely on semiconductors produced by TSMC. As technology advances at a rapid pace, the importance of semiconductors will only increase.

(Last access: 08.04.2024 / Taiwan News)