Dear Subscriber,

Happy Monday! We were blessed with sunshine and great weather in Taipei this morning. Vitamin D is known for reducing fatigue and boosting energy, so here's hoping the good weather continues this week.

Firstly, we will organise a media reception for this year's IFA exhibition, the world's largest trade fair for consumer electronics and home appliances. If you want to participate, please follow the registration link in our Top News. Tickets for the IFA Berlin 2024 can be purchased through us too, more infos in our Trade Fair News.

Great weather is something we are also counting on for next month’s German Riesling Night with Peter Mertes, our very first wine night! If an enchanting evening of wine, dining, and summer shine sounds appealing, secure your tickets now. You can find more details about the event and registration in our Top News section.

This summer also promises great opportunities for Taiwanese machine tool companies as we are planning an exclusive delegation trip to Germany’s innovation hub, Baden-Württemberg. Check out the full itinerary for the five-day trip in our Top News.

Reflecting on last week, our biggest highlight was our open day, where we invited several partners to our office. This year’s theme was UEFA 2024. Besides the usual chit chats, our guests enjoyed games related to our work at the German Trade Office and football-themed trivia quizzes. Read the full report in our GTO News.

Speaking of football, we shared some fun facts about German football culture with our online community last week. We were thrilled to see that the post received an overwhelming amount of viral engagement. Take a look at them in our GTO News.

Last week, three German parliamentarians visited Taipei to work on German-Taiwanese economic relations. For a detailed summary of their visit, please refer to our GTO News.

Moreover, we are also excited to announce that the next GTO Wirtschaftsstammtisch will have a new twist. It will take place in Taichung and include a machinery panel discussion. More details about the event and the speakers are available in our GTO News.

Phew! Today’s preface was a long one because we had an eventful week packed with activities. We hope this week will be just as productive for you!

Kind regards,

German Trade Office Taipei

IFA 2024, the world’s largest trade fair for consumer electronics and home appliances, is set to take place from 6 – 10 September in Berlin. Whilst we are already selling exclusive tickets, we are also in the midst of organizing the IFA Media Reception. On June 6, you will get an exclusive preview of what to expect at the world's largest consumer electronics exhibition – without having to travel to Germany! The media reception will take place at Syntrend Creative Park, Taipei's premier destination for groundbreaking technology and innovation.

This year marks IFA's centennial celebration, and it promises to be a groundbreaking event. For its 100th birthday, IFA plans on highlighting significant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on home appliances and consumer electronics.

Industry leaders and experts will delve into the European Union's role in setting global AI standards, exploring the latest trends, regulations, and sustainable practices. Moreover, this reception serves as a precursor to the IFA AI Summit, providing valuable insights into the future of technology.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with key industry players IPEVO, TSGC, Face Heart and gain firsthand knowledge of the AI-powered innovations shaping our world. Register now for the IFA Media Reception 2024 and stay ahead of the curve!

Details

Date: Thursday, ​June 6
Time: 13:30 – 16:20 (tentative)​
Venue: ​Syntrend Creative Park – 5F Clapper Studio​
Organizer: IFA Management GmbH​
Implementer: DEinternational Taiwan Ltd.​

Agenda

Experience an unforgettable evening at our first Riesling Night, hosted in partnership with Peter Mertes, Germany’s leading winery from the country’s wine capital Bernkastel-Kues in the heart of the Mosel region. Set in the charming outdoor area of M Club Taipei on the banks of Keelung river, we warmly invite you to enjoy the summer breeze, indulge in exquisite free-flowing wine and enjoy the carefully curated buffet dinner at the event. Look forward to savoring the crisp and well-balanced flavors of Peter Mertes’ Riesling, a perfectly refreshing wine ideal for the upcoming summer season. Join us and Peter Mertes for a memorable evening with a relaxed ambiance and plenty of networking opportunities to kick off the summer in style.

Details

Date: Friday, June 14, 2024
Time: 18:30 – 21:30 
Venue: Maritime Club Taipei (M Club), No. 16 Water Gate of Keelung River, Meiti Wharf
Dresscode: Summer Chic
Early-Bird Price: 2,600 NT$ (for registrations and payment made until May 17, 2024)
Regular Price: 2,800 NT$ (for registrations after May 17, 2024)
Registration Deadline: June 7, 2024 

How Germany & Netherlands Shape the Semiconductor Landscape
31.05.2024 | Location: Hsinchu

IFA Media Reception
06.06.2024 | Location: Taipei

2nd GTO German Company Charity Soccer Tournament
07.06.2024 | Location: Taipei

2024 German Riesling Night with Peter Mertes
13.06.2024 | Location: Taipei

GTO Wirtschaftsstammtisch & Machinery Panel Discussion 
30.07.2024 | Location: Taichung

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

Last Friday, we hosted our annual Open Day at the office, and it was great fun! We welcomed several of our partners to join us for a day at the German Trade Office filled with games and more.

This year's theme was UEFA 2024, and we went all out with football-themed decorations. Our ceilings were covered in garlands, we provided snacks and other small delicacies and our employees all wore German football uniforms. To our delight, some of our guests also showed up in their own football attire!

We came up with two engaging games. The first was "Meet the Colleague," a matching game where players matched our colleagues faces to names and job positions. The second was a football trivia quiz, where participants could win a bottle of beer by answering three questions correctly.

We were thrilled to see a great turnout – over 60 guests joined us throughout the day! As a special goodbye treat, every guest received a football-shaped biscuit.

Thank you to everyone who made this day so memorable. We can't wait to invite you again next year!

Sichern Sie sich jetzt Ihre Teilnahme an einer Leistungsschau in Taiwan!

Wussten Sie, dass für den gesamten taiwanischen Fertigungssektor ein Umsatzrekord von 700 Mrd. Euro für 2024 prognostiziert wird? Taiwan beherbergt weltweit führende Fertigungsunternehmen in den Bereichen Halbleiter, Elektronik, Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, deren Entscheidungsträger:innen in Taiwan sitzen und die durch das Upgrade der Produktionsprozesse mit Industrie 4.0-Technologien ihre Konkurrenzfähigkeit sichern wollen.

Vom 21. bis 25. Oktober 2024 findet eine Leistungsschau für deutsche Unternehmen nach Taiwan statt. Die Reise wird vom Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz im Rahmen des Markterschließungsprogramms für KMU gefördert.

Sichern Sie sich jetzt Ihre Teilnahme für die Leistungsschau nach Taiwan und erschließen Sie den taiwanischen Markt für Industrie 4.0 wie Cloudplattformen, maschinelle Bildverarbeitung, BigData, Cybersecurity, Systemintegration, Robotik, 3D-Druck, AI und VR, um Ihren idealen Vertriebs- und Geschäftspartner zu finden und wertvolle Einblicke zu erhalten!

Weiterführende Informationen sowie einen Link zur Anmeldung finden Sie auf unserer Website. Anmeldeschluss ist der 21. Juni 2024.

Our long-awaited GTO Germany Company Charity Soccer Tournament is going to kick off again on Friday, June 7, 2024 at the Taipei Gymnasium 1st floor.

German teams will be competing in exiting 15-minute games of 5 vs. 5 players and donate 1,500 NT$ per scored goal to the Make-A-Wish Taiwan foundation, which helps to fulfil the wishes of children with critical illness between the ages of 3-18 years old.

We welcome you to join us and cheer for your favourite German company team at our 2nd GTO German Company Charity Soccer Tournament.

As for the German companies operating in Taiwan, our annual soccer event is a great opportunity to encourage the team spirit in your company and kick for those who can’t by assisting the Make-A-Wish Taiwan foundation in making the biggest dreams of children with critical illness come true!

Details

Date: Friday, June 7, 2024
Time: 11:00-18:30
Address: Taipei Gymnasium 1st floor (No. 10, Section 4, Nanjing E Rd, Songshan District, Taipei City)
Price: Free of charge

In case of any questions or would like to register your team, please contact Mr. Levin Chiang, (chiang.levin@taiwan.ahk.de / Tel: +886-2-7735-7513).

Our 2nd GTO German Company Charity Soccer Tournament is on June 7. To ramp up the soccer spirit, here are a few fun facts to get you geared up for the game!

Have you watched the Bundesliga before? Did you know that one of the biggest factors for Germany’s success in football lies in its youth development system and sports tradition? And have you heard about the ways in which German football uses its popularity to promote ethical causes? Swipe to learn more!

More information about our soccer tournament can be found here.

Check out our post in full resolution here.

Last Wednesday, our colleague Ms. Linda Blechert, Head of Governmental Affairs & GTO German Business Alliance, joined the ANEX 2024 (Aisa Nonwovens Exhibition and Conference) and got to discover the innovative products developed by Freudenberg and Chenkang Biotech, such as EVOLON bacterial removal cleaning wipes and EVOLON anti-dust bedding.

ANEX is one of the world’s three major nonwovens exhibitions, held every three years. This time it showcased the latest nonwoven products and nonwoven fabric manufacturing machinery. Visitors can also gain insightful information about the latest trends in nonwoven product development. Food safety was another important topic this year. Germany not only continues to focus on food safety issues but is also committed to provide consumers with the safest and highest-quality products. The leading global nonwovens suppliers, Freudenberg, is also one of the exhibitors of ANEX 2024. They collaborated with Chenkang Biotech to develop EVOLON bacterial removal cleaning wipes, which utilize microfiber technology and can clean the dust and stains efficiently, enhancing food safety standards. EVOLON anti-dust bedding also utilizes the same technology and provides users with high-quality and comfortable sleeping environment.

We are very honored to witness the German-Taiwanese collaboration between Freudenberg and Chenkang Biotech. It is a pleasure to see that they work hard to provide innovative solutions for consumers’ health and sleep, which establishes a milestone in the health and sleep industry.

Attention: Our Road Safety Event is next Tuesday!

Yes, exactly, It's time for Part 3 of our Traffic Trivia series! This time we will introduce you to two steep streets in Germany and Taiwan. Check out our slideshow for a closer look at these incredible streets!

Stay tuned for more fascinating trivia as we prepare for our German Road Safety Event next Tuesday. Remember, road safety is everyone's responsibility!

Supporting companies: Bosch, Dekra, DQS, Volkswagen Taiwan, Foodpanda, Opel, TÜV Süd, Mercedes-Benz Taiwan

Check out our post in full resolution here.

Last Tuesday, we were honored to welcome three members of the German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group to Taiwan. The three German parliamentarians Mr. Klaus-Peter Willsch, Dr. Inge Gräßle and Mr. Frank Schäffler came to Taiwan for an exchange with local politicians and institutions.

After Director General of the German Institute Taipei Dr. Jörg Polster delivered his welcome remarks, he gave a briefing together with our Acting Delegate Ms. Leonie Yang, Head of Governmental Affairs & GTO German Business Alliance Ms. Linda Blechert as well as Germany Trade and Invest’s Director Taiwan and Philippines Mr. Alexander Hirschle.

Afterwards, we all got together for a luncheon at the German Institute Taipei. Apart from the politicians and us, it was so nice to have several company representatives to join us for the shared meal. We thank Mr. Erdal Elver, President & CEO of Siemens Ltd. Taiwan, Mr. Andreas Schmidt, Chairman and Managing Director, Bosch Taiwan, Ms. Judy Huang, Head of PR & Communications Dept and Government Affairs – Merck Group Taiwan, Mr. Bob Chen, Managing Director of DQS Taiwan and Mr. Phylex Ong, Managing Director of Beckhoff Automation Taiwan for attending the meeting.

We thank the parliamentarians for their support and active involvement in fostering German-Taiwanese economic relations.

We eagerly anticipate the arrival of additional parliament members in the future, aiming to enhance our bilateral economic connections even further!

Payment Details

• Once you have filled out the registration form, you will be contacted by our staff regarding the payment method. Please note that payments must be submitted in advance.

• If you do not receive a mail from our staff within 4 days after your registration, please contact us directly again via mail (若您報名完成後四日內未接獲本處通知，敬請以電子郵件方式聯繫本處)

• Limited seats available only: please note that we reserve the right to close the registration system once the maximum number of participants is reached. Registrations will be admitted in order of registration date. GTO reserves the right to turn down unregistered guests at the entrance if the registration was not confirmed and no payment has been made in advance.

Mark your calendars for the world’s largest trade fair for consumer electronics and home appliances Join us at IFA 2024 as we celebrate its monumental 100th anniversary!

Date: September 6 – 10, 2024
Venue: Berlin, Germany

Experience the pulse of “innovation for all” right in the heart of Europe's most dynamic regional market. At IFA, witness the unveiling of the latest products from around the globe. With attendees from over 130 countries, IFA is the main hot spot for key retailers, buyers and experts from the industry and the media. Only IFA offers such a comprehensive overview of the international market.

But that's not all! Immerse yourself in the electrifying atmosphere with exhilarating outdoor spectacles and evening concerts featuring both local legends and international superstars.

What’s special about this year’s IFA 2024? It’s divided into two exhibition periods AND two exhibition zones:

1) IFA: September 6 – 10 at Messe Berlin

2) IFA Global Markets: September 8 – 10 at STATION Berlin

Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity! Exclusive Trade Visitor Tickets are on sale now! Sign up and don’t miss a beat!

Asia Fruit Logistica takes place from September 4 – 6. It is the largest and most professional B2B exhibition in Asia, covering the entire agricultural industry structure chain. It offers unique opportunities for exhibitors to develop new business, especially in 2024 when it will be held in Hong Kong, a rare opportunity for Taiwanese manufacturers to enter the Asian market!

Key Figures from Asia Fruit Logistica 2023

Exhibitors Worldwide: 400+ (from 40+ countries)
Professional Buyers Worldwide: 10,000+ (from 70+ countries)

Our colleague Ms. Peng will answer any further questions regarding this event.

The German economy is weakening and will only recover slowly in 2024, according to the Institute for Macroeconomics and Business Cycle Research (IMK). The mechanical engineering industry is also feeling the effects. To strengthen competitiveness, organisations will have to focus on automation. Thanks to Low Cost Automation (LCA) and the RBTX robotics marketplace from igus, companies of all sizes can find a complete solution that suits their requirements and budget - from as little as €2,000. The plastics company is now honouring the projects with the fastest return on investment (ROI) with the ROIBOT Award for the third time. Users can now apply to win LCA products worth €5,000 in addition to international recognition.

Check out the full article on our website.

Die größte Highlight-Veranstaltung der IHK München und der AHK Greater China in Deutschland bietet die ideale Plattform sich über die aktuellsten Entwicklungen in China zu informieren.

Hochrangige Unternehmensvertreter und ausgewiesene China-Experten aus Deutschland und China diskutieren neuste Wirtschaftstrends. Breakout-Sessions bieten praxisnahen Austausch zu wichtigen Aspekten der Geschäftsabwicklung (Recht und Steuern, Exportkontrolle, Zoll) oder zu spannenden Zukunftsthemen wie der Chip- und Halbleiterindustrie Taiwans, Chinas Innovationsbranchen oder Hongkongs zukünftiger Rolle im Asien-Geschäft.

Nutzen Sie den Greater China Day als Netzwerkplattform, um sich mit Unternehmen und Multiplikatoren zu vernetzen – nach dem Motto von der Wirtschaft für die Wirtschaft. Seien Sie dabei!

Die Teilnahme ist kostenfrei, aber anmeldepflichtig.

Details

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 und das Anmeldeformular finden Sie auf der offiziellen Webseite.

The DIHK results are based on surveys of companies conducted by a total of 79 IHKs. In early summer 2024, the CCIs analysed over 24,000 responses.

The mood in the economy remains gloomy. The business situation continues to deteriorate. 28 percent of companies report a good situation, while 23 percent report a poor one. The balance of the situation assessment continues its downward trend, dropping slightly from seven to now five points.

While the business expectations of companies are brightening, they remain overall pessimistic. In particular, the proportion of companies with negative business expectations has noticeably decreased (26 percent compared to previously 35 percent). Only 16 percent of companies expect an improvement in the next twelve months. In balance, the ongoing negative expectations climb from minus 21 to minus ten points.

To read more about the survey and its results, please refer to our website.

Are you an AI Tech Startup looking for opportunities to expand your business into the global market? AI+ Taipei Startup Pitch Contest is an exciting opportunity for international startups and entrepreneurs like yourself to showcase your innovative ideas and projects in front of a diverse audience and esteemed panel of judges.

6 winners will be selected and have the opportunity to meet potential partners and investors in Taiwan, with travel and accommodation expenses fully covered by TEH. Interested in joining? The ticket is yours.

Who is eligible to apply?

✦ Startups in the AI industry incorporated within the last 8 years.
✦ If the startup has Taiwanese members, they should not be more than one-third under the team structure.
✦ The product or service of the company should provide solid solutions to Taipei’s AI problems with collaboration potential.
✦ Startup must have a strong strategic plan for soft-landing or business development in Taipei.
✦ The selected startups must be able to comply with the itinerary in Taipei.

What are the benefits?

Tickets & Accommodation: Each team will be granted one round-trip flight ticket to Taiwan, along with accommodation. (The organizer will be responsible for booking 1 round-trip flight ticket and accommodation. We will collect passport information from the team and purchase the ticket on behalf of the founder/CEO)

Matchmaking & Company Visits: Business matchmaking and organized company visits with esteemed partners and investors in Taiwan. Will have networking opportunities with industry professionals.

Connections & Resources: Facilitating connections and plans with esteemed startup accelerators and company registration consultants. Receiving valuable feedback from experienced judges.

Obligations of the selected teams

✦ Team members must arrive in Taipei within the designated time frame of this project and fully participate in the designated activities.
✦ After completing the project activities, each exhibiting team must assist incompleting a satisfaction survey and regularly report on the development after the match.
✦ If the team fails to fulfill the relevant obligations, they will be ineligible to apply for participation in related Taipei Entrepreneurship Assistance projects for the next two years.

It's a chance to gain visibility for your startup on a global stage and take your venture to the next level. If you have any questions or require further information about the contest, please don't hesitate to contact us at joy@everiii.com and vita@everiii.com. Looking forward to receiving your application. Let's pave the way for the future of innovation together! Sign up here.

The Organizers / Event Producer reserves the right to make the final decision of the event. Any changes or contingent measures for the event will be announced on the Eventbrite page.

Confidence Falls Slightly, But Still Positive: Cathay

The public‘s confidence in the economic outlook and stock investment declined slightly this month, but remained positive overall, a survey by Cathay Financial Holding Co (國泰金控) showed.

Of the respondents, 34.2 percent expect Taiwan’s economy to improve in the next six months, while 32.1 percent are anticipating negative twists and 29 percent believe things would remain steady, the survey said after polling 16,543 customers online between May 1 and May 7.

That was a small retreat from last month, but stayed in optimistic territory, in line with the government’s business climate monitor system flashing “green,” which indicated steady economic growth, the conglomerate said.

(Last access: 22.05.2024 / Taipei Times)

Export Orders Up by 10.8% on Chip Demand

Export orders expanded by 10.8 percent annually last month, the highest year-on-year growth in two years, thanks to robust demand for chips used in artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) devices mainly from Nvidia Corp, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said. It also outpaced the ministry’s upper estimate of 5.88 percent annual growth.

Export orders rose from US$42.49 billion in April last year to US$47.1 billion last month, while export orders dropped by 0.1 percent from US$47.16 billion on a monthly basis, the ministry said.

The ministry said it expects the growth momentum to carry into this month and export orders to rise between 1.8 percent and 6.2 percent annually to between US$46.5 billion and US$48.5 billion, as AI chip demand remains vigorous.

(Last access: 22.05.2024 / Taipei Times)

ASML and TSMC Can Disable EUV Machines

ASML Holding NV and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) have ways to disable the world‘s most sophisticated chipmaking machines in the event that China invades Taiwan, people familiar with the matter said.

Officials from the US government have privately expressed concerns to both their Dutch and Taiwanese counterparts about what happens if Chinese aggression escalates into an attack on the nation responsible for producing the vast majority of the world’s advanced semiconductors, two of the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

(Last access: 22.05.2024 / Taipei Times)

Powerchip Bullish on Restocking Demand

Contract chipmaker Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (力積電) said revenue would gradually pick up in the second half of this year due to restocking demand and an optimized product portfolio in response to growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

The Hsinchu-based chipmaker has been adjusting its product portfolios for the past two years with the aim of meeting demand from major customers, who were diversifying from China amid geopolitical risks, Powerchip president Brian Shieh (謝再居) told shareholders during the company’s annual general meeting in Hsinchu yesterday.

Powerchip is also developing a new process technology to make power management chips, vying for business opportunities in the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, high-performance computing and electric vehicle arenas, he said.

(Last access: 22.05.2024 / Taipei Times)