The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) released its 2016 Taiwan White Paper today, expressing the hope that the new government adopts new policy directions and revitalizes the economy. National Development Council (NDC) deputy Minister Kung Ming-hsin, accepting the White Paper on behalf of the government, stressed that the new government is a government that values public communication and attaches importance to opinions from all quarters, and it will strive to promote regulatory coherence based on international practices and norms and strengthen Taiwan’s global and regional links. He also called on AmCham to support Taiwan’s 2nd round candidacy for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) .
In the 2016 Taiwan White Paper, AmCham evaluated the progress made with respect to the 76 suggestions put forward in the 2015 White Paper; of which 14 issues were judged to be “resolved” or “showing satisfactory progress,” with the number of “resolved” issues double that of 2014, including: providing banks with greater operational flexibility in line with international best practices; launching incentive program for scrapping aged passenger vehicles to improve air quality; and amending IT Service Model Contract to build a favorable environment for innovation.
In Amcham’s White Paper, the Chamber also encouraged the government to facilitate a “2nd-generation” Administrative Procedure Act (APA), giving priority to improving regulation- making procedure, creating more transparent process in rule making and revision and, moreover, provide the public with sufficient time for feedback. The NDC replied that the Ministry of Justice has launched an amendment to APA, clearly stating the rule for a minimum 14-day preview period for draft laws and regulations; it is also stipulated that, when administrative organs issue regulations, the gist of public opinion, and the results and reasons of the corresponding consideration made by administrative organs should be made public to boost the mechanism for communication with the public.
AmCham believes that reform of the APA will help Taiwan join TPP and suggested that the government adopts a more proactive attitude and works hard to persuade other member countries to allow Taiwan to join in the 2nd round of TPP negotiations. The NDC said that continuing to facilitate regulatory coherence, strengthening international competitiveness and building an appropriate and adequate infrastructure for participation in regional economic integration have always been government objectives, and hopes that AmCham will continue to support Taiwan’s bid for membership in the 2nd round of TPP negotiations.
Also, with respect to the subject of attracting the best and the brightest talent that AmCham is concerned about, the NDC said that a special recruitment program will be implemented, directed at the specific requirements of the five major innovative industries, to attract elite international talent and assist the development of those five innovative industries ; in addition, to attract foreign talent, further deregulation and innovative measures regarding visa, residence, tax and talent friendly living environment will be pushed ahead.
As for a clear and realistic national energy plan to ensure future energy supply, the NDC explained that promoting a nuclear-free home is the set objective of the government. In the future, efforts will be redoubled with respect to the promotion of wind power, solar power and other renewable energy, and power generation efficiency, to provide a stable power supply to ensure domestic economic development and enable business to carry out their investment plans.