Happy Monday from Taipei!

As we settle into February, Taipei is still glowing with the celebrations of the Lantern Festival, which continues until February 16. The festival fills the city with dazzling lantern displays and cultural festivities, creating a lively atmosphere and a perfect moment to embrace new opportunities for the year ahead.

In this edition of our Info Brief, we are excited to share updates on Taiwan’s growing economy and advancements in key industries. You’ll also find news on two upcoming trade fairs: ITB Berlin 2025, the world’s largest travel trade fair, and the Taiwan Pavilion at Asia Fruit Logistica 2025 in Hong Kong, which highlights opportunities in the agricultural and food sectors. We also invite you to take a look at the Business & Technology Forum NRW – Taiwan: "Media Content and Digital Technologies" on March 26, where experts from North Rhine-Westphalia and Taiwan will discuss trends in AI-driven content creation, digital transformation, and media innovation. More details can be found in the Top News.

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind you about our GTO Economic Outlook 2025 & Wirtschaftsstammtisch on February 20. The event will provide valuable insights from our Business Confidence Survey, along with expert perspectives on key industries and Taiwan’s economic outlook for 2025. If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time! More details can be found in the Top News section.

Last week, we were pleased to participate in the "Future Growth Markets – Your Ticket Around the World" event in Nuremberg. Representing our office, our colleague Linda Blechert provided valuable insights into the Taiwanese economy, showcasing Taiwan as a dynamic and high-potential market for German businesses. During her presentation, she highlighted Taiwan’s economic resilience and key opportunities for German SMEs looking to expand into this vibrant market.

How is Taiwan’s trade landscape evolving in 2025? Our GTAI News this week takes a closer look at shifting trade patterns and what they mean for Taiwan’s economic future. Additionally, discover the latest developments in Taiwan’s economic sector, showcasing how the island continues to drive innovation and expand its global presence. For those interested in joining our team, we are currently looking for a Finance & Controlling Manager—details can be found in the Top News section.

We hope this Info Brief provides valuable insights and inspiration as we look forward to a productive year. Wishing you a successful start to February and a joyful Lantern Festival!

The German Trade Office Taipei is pleased to announce that we will start the year of the Snake with our annual “GTO Economic Outlook 2025 & Wirtschaftsstammtisch” event on February 20th, 2025. This much-anticipated event will feature insights from our Business Confidence Survey, providing an in-depth look at the current economic and political climate for German companies in Taiwan. We are also honored to welcome Deputy Minister Cynthia Kiang from the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) as a participant.

• A presentation on our annual Business Confidence Survey results, offering a comprehensive overview of 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 into specific industries, including energy, automotive, and semiconductors, provided by experts from leading German companies in Taiwan. 
• A fantastic networking opportunity with German food and drinks. 

*The price includes a dinner and drinks served during the Wirtschaftsstammtisch starting at 19:00.  

During this event, you will be able to enjoy German Erdinger beer, which is kindly sponsored by Millenia Commercial. 

Registration

If you are interested, please register under the following:

Agenda

For more information on the agenda, please visit our website.

Speakers

Contact

North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is Germany’s largest business region, home to 25,000 media and communications companies generating €125 billion annually. Its central location and advanced telecommunications infrastructure make NRW a leading hub for media innovation, creative industries, and digital transformation in Europe.

Taiwan, with its advanced tech infrastructure and diverse media landscape, is a global leader in digitization. The country’s innovative approach and strong ties to the tech industry create significant opportunities for collaboration with companies from NRW.

The Business and Technology Forum NRW – Taiwan: “Media Content and Digital Technologies” will bring together leading firms from both regions to explore joint topics, such as:

• AI in content creation
• Evolving distribution models
• The rise of streaming
• Personalized content challenges

Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
• Time: 14:00 – 18:00
• Venue: Illume Hotel Taipei (TBC)

For more details, please contact Mr. Sinan Ertugrul.

Registration

If you are interested, please register under the following:

Agenda

The agenda will be available on our website in the coming days.

We are currently looking for a Finance & Controlling Manager to lead key financial tasks such as budgeting, reporting, forecasting, and process optimization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Monitor budgets and analyze deviations
• Prepare financial forecasts and reports
• Drive process optimization, automation, and lean structures
• Conduct internal finance and controlling trainings

Your Profile:

• Degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration
• 5+ years of relevant experience
• Strong knowledge of MS Office and controlling systems
• Fluency in Chinese and English

How to Apply:

Send your application in English, including your CV, motivation letter, relevant certificates, earliest starting date, and salary expectations, to Ms. Jessie Wu at wu.jessie@taiwan.ahk.de by Thursday, February 27, 2025. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Ready to join us? Explore the job description and application process on our website.

Business and Technology Forum NRW – Taiwan: “Media Content and Digital Technologies” 26.03.2025 | Location: Taipei

Join us for an exclusive journey to LEARNTEC 2025, Europe’s largest digital learning exhibition, and explore new opportunities in the global Ed-Tech market! This delegation offers:

• LEARNTEC Highlights: A curated tour of cutting-edge Ed-Tech innovations and professional forums
• Networking Opportunities: Meet local distributors, universities, and decision-makers
• Academic Exchanges: Visit German universities and research institutions to explore collaboration models
• Business Matching: Connect with European Ed-Tech companies to discover market strategies and potential partnerships
• Expert Insights: Attend lectures and high-level events to gain market insights and build international connections

Event Details

• Date: May 4–10, 2025 (7 days, 4 nights)
• Location: Karlsruhe, Germany

This is a unique opportunity to expand your Ed-Tech presence in Europe. Don’t miss out—register now!

For inquiries and registration, please contact Ms. Venus Peng.

On February 5, 2025, the IHK Nürnberg für Mittelfranken hosted the second “Future Growth Markets – Your Ticket Around the World” event in Nuremberg, focusing on high-potential markets for German SMEs. Taiwan was among the nine featured countries with strong import growth potential in the coming years.

Representing the German Trade Office Taipei, Linda Blechert took part in the event and shared valuable insights into Taiwan’s economic landscape, highlighting opportunities for German companies. The program included market pitches from AHK experts, risk assessments on global supply chains, and networking sessions with tailored consultations.

Special thanks to Manuel Hertel and his team for the excellent organization, and to Claudia Haas for her outstanding moderation!

From September 3–5, 2025, Asia Fruit Logistica will return to AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, bringing together industry professionals from across the global fresh produce sector. With more than 760 exhibitors and 13,000 buyers from over 70 countries attending in 2024, the event continues to be a key platform for businesses in fruits, vegetables, organics, logistics, and more.

The 2025 edition will feature expanded categories, including Smart AgriTech, Frozen Fruits & Vegetables, and Dried Nuts, reflecting the latest industry innovations and trends.

The Taiwan Pavilion is now open for registration until February 21! Secure your booth early for the best location. For more details, contact Ms. Venus Peng.

From March 4–6, 2025, Messe Berlin will once again host ITB Berlin, the world’s leading B2B travel trade fair. As the ultimate meeting point for the international travel industry, ITB Berlin offers a unique platform for businesses to connect, innovate, and expand within the global tourism sector.

Why attend?

• Meet industry leaders: Connect with over 100,000 visitors and 5,600 exhibitors from 190 countries.
• Discover emerging trends: Explore innovations in hospitality, adventure travel, luxury tourism, travel technology, and more.
• Expand your business: Establish new partnerships and gain insights into global travel market dynamics.

Exclusive Offer: We are offering a promo code for discounted tickets, with up to 13% off.

For more details or to claim your promo code, please contact Ms. Venus Peng.

Are you ready to expand your microelectronics business in Taiwan, a global hub for cutting-edge semiconductor technologies? SEMICON Taiwan is the premier platform to connect with industry leaders and showcase your innovations. In 2024, the event attracted an impressive 85,000 visitors, 1,100 exhibitors, and 3,700 booths!

Our German Pavilion at SEMICON Taiwan 2025 will take place in TaiNEX Hall 1, 1F, from September 10 to 12.

Why exhibit with us?
• Prime booth location within the German Pavilion
• Fully equipped, walk-in booth setup for convenience
• Access to shared facilities, including a business lounge and Happy Hour for exhibitors and buyer.
• Boosted visibility with added media exposure

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to showcase your products, connect with key buyers, and grow your footprint in one of the world’s most dynamic semiconductor markets!

Act fast—spots are limited! Contact Ms. Peng for more information:

From April 8-10, 2025, Messe Berlin will host Europe's leading event for digital health, DMEA. It brings together decision-makers from across the healthcare sector, including IT specialists, physicians, hospital and nursing care executives, and experts from politics, science, and research.

DMEA 2024 was a massive success, attracting over 800 exhibitors, more than 19,000 visitors, and nearly 300 speakers from around the globe. The event covered a wide range of topics beyond healthcare in Germany, such as patient care in Europe, the electronic patient record in Denmark, and AI transparency in Europe.

DMEA is an excellent platform for system and hardware/software vendors worldwide to seize market opportunities and engage with the digital healthcare community.

Don't miss your chance to be part of next year’s DMEA! To exhibit at DMEA 2025, please contact our colleague Mr. Pinchao Huang.

LEARNTEC is a unique combination of convention and trade fair. It showcases IT-supported learning methods and technologies and best practices in life-long learning: imparting knowledge in companies, schools and higher education institutions. At LEARNTEC you will have the chance to meet highly qualified specialists from the e-learning and education sector in the same location over a concentrated three-day period. Almost all relevant providers of digital education and decision-makers from all business sectors and public institutions will be coming together here.

For more information visit our website or contact Ms. Venus Peng.

The Smarter E Europe 2025 Booths are almost fully booked!

Smarter E Europe, the world's largest trading platform for the energy industry, will be held from May 7-9, 2025 at Messe München, Germany. Smarter E Europe unites four major exhibitions: Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe, and EM-Power Europe. These exhibitions will cover renewable energy, batteries, and energy storage systems, charging equipment and e-mobility, as well as energy management and integrated solutions.

In 2024, Intelligent Energy Europe attracted more than 3,000 exhibitors showcasing a wide range of innovative products and nearly 110,000 professional buyers from around the world. More than 2,500 participants signed up for industry seminars and business events during the show, setting an unprecedented record for business exchanges.

In 2025 edition, German Trade Office Taipei also partners with TAITRA to organize the Taiwan Pavilion at Intersolar Europe in Hall A3. 9 Taiwanese companies have already confirmed their participation in the pavilion. We cordially invite Taiwanese companies in these industries to join us and step further into the European and international markets.   

If you are interested in exhibiting at The Smarter E Global Events, such as Middle East, India, Central and South America editions, please contact our colleague Mr. Pinchao Huang. We look forward to seeing you in Munich to explore the business opportunities of the future energies!

For more information visit our website.

We are wpd, a German-based renewable energy developer specializing in onshore wind and solar PV projects. Headquartered in Bremen, Germany, wpd has established a strong presence in the renewable energy sector for over 20 years with activities in 31 countries and worldwide 4000 members of staff.

We have successfully developed 47 solar PV projects since 2009 in Taiwan.

Would you be our partners for solar PV projects in Taiwan？

If your company is considering installing PV panels on your building's rooftop, we would be delighted to collaborate with you. Together, two German companies in Taiwan could advocate ESG initiatives and create sustainable success!

For inquiries, please feel free to reach out to us:

Hans Tsai, Senior Specialist (available in both Chinese mandarin and English)
Email: hans.tsai@wpd.tw

Manuel Hanenberg, Business Development Director (available in English & German)

EMail: m.hanenberg@wpd.de

Taiwan’s trade will grow less dynamically in 2025, but with a stronger focus on the United States as its main partner. Driven by soaring U.S. demand for Taiwanese electronics, particularly high-performance chips and servers for artificial intelligence applications, the island’s exports to the U.S. jumped 46% in 2024. In contrast, exports to Germany fell by 15.3%, while imports from Germany declined slightly by 2.6%.

Electronics and information and communication technology (ICT) products will continue to dominate Taiwan's export landscape, accounting for 65% of all foreign orders in 2024. Taiwan's machinery exports to the US, also mainly semiconductor related, hit $7.2 billion, making the U.S. the largest market for Taiwan’s machinery sector, surpassing China.

The U.S.-China trade conflict will further strengthen Taiwan’s trade ties with the U.S, posing new challenges for Taiwan's economy in 2025. In 2024, Taiwan’s trade surplus with the U.S. surged to nearly $65 billion making it a target for President Trump who intends to address trade imbalances and high trade deficits at the expense of the U.S. by raising tariffs.

In contrast Taiwan has a trade deficit with Germany. The structure of bilateral trade with Germany is more or less unchanged. German goods accounted for 3.4% of Taiwan's total imports, while Taiwanese exports to Germany accounted for only 1.5% of total exports in 2024.

Read more about Taiwan’s shifting trade patterns (in German).

Taiwan's Exports Exceed Expectations in January

Taiwan’s exports rose more than anticipated in January 2025, increasing by 4.4% year-over-year to reach $38.71 billion. This strong performance defied market expectations, driven by robust demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications and a surge in orders as companies prepared for potential U.S. policy changes. Key contributors included the semiconductor sector, with electronic component exports rising by 3.1% and semiconductor exports increasing by 4.2%.

The better-than-expected export growth highlights Taiwan's pivotal role in the global tech supply chain, especially as it continues to meet the increasing demand for cutting-edge technology. Analysts suggest this momentum positions Taiwan for sustained growth in 2025, reinforcing its status as a global innovation hub.

(Last access: 10.02.2025 / Reuters)

Taiwan's Economy Projected to Grow Above 3% in 2025

Taiwan's government forecasts that the nation's economy will expand by more than 3% in 2025, outperforming the global average of 2.5%. This optimistic outlook is attributed to Taiwan's robust export sector, particularly in high-tech industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence applications.

The government also assures that the electricity supply will remain stable, supporting industrial and economic activities throughout the year. Analysts believe that Taiwan's strategic investments in technology and infrastructure will continue to drive economic growth, solidifying its position as a key player in the global economy. 

(Last access: 10.02.2025 / Taiwan News)

Microsatellite with Taiwanese Optics Showcases World-Class Capabilities

A collaborative effort between Japan's ArkEdge Space and Taiwan's space agency has resulted in a microsatellite that has captured high-resolution images of Earth, showcasing world-class optical capabilities. Launched in December, the ONGLAISAT satellite orbits approximately 400 km above Earth and has achieved a resolution of 2.5 meters in its imagery.

The satellite utilizes optical equipment from Taiwan's space agency mounted on a cubesat platform, with technologies applicable to future remote sensing missions. This development underscores Taiwan's growing capabilities in space technology and its commitment to advancing Earth observation and communication infrastructure.

(Last access: 10.02.2025 / Reuters)

Taiwanese Company to Introduce Solar Panels with Display Functions in Palau

(Last access: 10.02.2025 / Focus Taiwan)