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When times are tough, politicians naturally think about ways to alleviate their constituents’ hardship. But the measures they devise – often without adequate research or expert advice – may not be best for society as a whole or even for the citizens the proposals are intended to help.
A case in point is a bill, currently before the Legislative Yuan, which would lower the annual statutory interest-rate ceiling of 20% that banks may charge credit-card customers for revolving credit. The proposed new cap would be defined as 9% above the Central Bank’s rate for unsecured short-term lending – which at current levels would come to 12.5%.
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Getting Ready for a Taiwan FDA
Following last year's melamine incident, the Department of Health
is accelerating plans for reorganizing food and drug regulation.
By Don Shapiro
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More Attention for U.S. Visa Waiver
President Ma has raised the issue several times recently. What needs to be done to move it forward?
By Don Shapiro
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The strengths of Taiwan’s hospital system are its
accessibility and low cost. But from those same factors flow some of
the difficulties with the system. The out-patient clinics tend to be
greatly overcrowded, and the medical personnel overworked and
underpaid. Patients get little personal attention from physicians, the
latest innovative medical and pharmaceuticals are not always available,
and a big burden is placed on the families of those hospitalized.
Some maintain that these are necessary trade-offs given Taiwan’s
current level of economic development. Others say the public should
demand a system in which the quality of treatment is the paramount
goal, not financial savings.
BY DON SHAPIRO
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MACROECONOMICS
CROSS-STRAIT
- LEADING MUSEUMS ENTER INTO CONTACT
- 1,500 PRC MISSILES NOW POINTED AT TAIWAN
DOMESTIC
- FORMER FIRST LADY PLEADS GUILTY
INTERNATIONAL
- U.S. SUED FOR FAILING IN DUTIES AS “OCCUPIER”
- UK INCLUDES TAIWAN IN VISA WAIVER PROGRAM
- IN MEMORIUM: HARVEY FELDMAN
BUSINESS
- BRITISH LIFE INSURER SELLS TAIWAN UNIT
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
- PERMITS FALL SHARPLY
- GOVERNMENT PLANS NEW DRAM COMPANY
- TAIPEI RANKED 6TH IN ASIA IN LIVEABILITY SURVEY
- CHINESE GLUCOSE METERS MAY NOW BE IMPORTED
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In-depth interviews with the founders of 20 private Chinese
companies provide useful insights for anyone doing business in this
vast but complex market.
BY LAURA TYSON LI
Made in China: Secrets of China’s Dynamic Entrepreneurs
By Winter Nie and Katherine Xin, with Lily Zhang.
John Wiley & Sons (Asia), Singapore, 2009.
210 pages.
ISBN-10: 0470824360. ISBN-13: 978-0470824368
China business books have proliferated in recent years. This is one
that will stand the test of time. Indeed, while many China books are
very much a product of the go-go years of double-digit growth and are
already obsolete, the deepening economic crisis in the United States
and Europe makes “Made in China” more timely than ever. This is a book
that executives heading to the Middle Kingdom will want to tuck into
their carry-on bag.
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Taiwan’s Central Bank has not heeded manufacturers’ pleas for a
much sharper NT devaluation to help boost overseas sales.
BY PHILIP LIU
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Publications 
TOPICS_2009_March (
