2020/9/5 下午3:34 蒈 䁆 ᆙ ጭ 懿 傶 褾 扮 Ի ੀ THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN TAIPEI TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS September 2020 | Vol. 50 | Issue 9 Ӿ 苉 蟈 硰 玖 ݣ ਁ ᒫ 9_2020_Cover.indd 1 <28552$'0$3 72/($'(56+,3 CONTENTS NEWS AND VIEWS 6 President’s View Welcoming new developments and the potential opportunities they SEPTEMBER 2020 VOLUME 50, NUMBER 9 represent 一○九年九月號 By Leo Seewald 7 Editorial Publisher 發行人 Leo Seewald 李豪 Strengthened U.S. Relations Editor-in-Chief 總編輯 台灣對美關係更趨緊密 Don Shapiro 沙蕩 Deputy Editor 副總編輯 9 Taiwan Briefs Jeremy Olivier 歐嘉仁 By Jeremy Olivier Art Director/ 美術主任/ Production Coordinator 後製統籌 Katia Chen 陳國梅 Manager, Publications Sales & Marketing 廣告行銷經理 COVER SECTION Caroline Lee 李佳紋 Translation 翻譯 Shaping Taiwan’s Digital Future Kevin Chen, Andrew Wang 陳又銘, 王先棠 American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei 129 MinSheng East Road, Section 3, 7F, Suite 706, Taipei 10596, Taiwan P.O. Box 17-277, Taipei, 10419 Taiwan Tel: 2718-8226 Fax: 2718-8182 e-mail: [email protected] website: http://www.amcham.com.tw 名稱：台北市美國商會工商雜誌 發行所：台北市美國商會 臺北市10596民生東路三段129號七樓706室 電話：2718-8226 傳真：2718-8182 Taiwan Business Topics is a publication of the American 14 Taiwan’s Digital Minister Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, ROC. Contents are independent of and do not necessarily reflect the views of on the New Economy the Officers, Board of Governors, Supervisors or members. © Copyright 2020 by the American Chamber of Commerce Audrey Tang shares her in Taipei, ROC. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint original material must be requested in writing from thoughts on the intersection AmCham. Production done in-house, Printing by Farn Mei Printing Co., Ltd. between technology and 登記字號：台誌第一零九六九號 印刷所：帆美印刷股份有限公司 governance. 經銷商：台灣英文雜誌社 台北市108台北市萬華區長沙街二段66號 By Jeremy Olivier 發行日期：中華民國一○九年九月 中華郵政北台字第5000號執照登記為雜誌交寄 ISSN 1818-1961 16 What a “Digital Ministry” public transportation, the Could Mean for Taiwan government and local Chair: C.W. Chin industries have been Vice Chairs: Fupei Wang, Timothy Shields By Hilton Yip Secretary: Seraphim Ma collaborating to put more AVs Treasurer: Al Chang on the road, using extensive 2019-2020 Governors: Al Chang, Albert Chang, Seraphim Ma, Jan-Hendrik testing to ensure safety. Meidinger, Paulus Mok. By Louise Watt 2020-2021 Governors: C.W. Chin, Brian Sung, Timothy Shields, Fupei Wang, Roger Yee, Angela Yu. 23 Taiwan’s Healthcare Gets 2020 Supervisors: Mark Horng, Stephen Tan, Terry Boost from AI Tsao. COMMITTEES: Several Taiwan startups are Agro-Chemical/ Melody Wang; Asset Management/ offering innovative solutions Eric Lin, Angela Yang, Derek Yung; Banking/ Paulus Mok; Capital Markets/ Mandy Huang, Eric Jai, C.P. to healthcare-related issues Liu; Chemical Manufacturers/ Charles Liang, Michael Wong; Cosmetics/ Abigail Lin; Defense/ Manohar 18 Food Delivery Comes to using AI technology and Thyagaraj, Roger Yee; Digital Economy/ Max Chen, Renee Chou, Tai Chi Chuan; Energy/ Richard Freer, Uber’s Rescue access to years of NHI data. Randy Tsai; Human Resources/ Christine Chen, Carmen Law, David Tsai; Infrastructure/ Wayne Strong demand for the service By Louise Watt Chin, Paul Lee; Insurance/ KT Lim, Mandy Shih, Linda Tsou; Intellectual Property & Licensing/ Jason could help offset the hit to Chen, Peter Dernbach, Vincent Shih; Marketing & Uber's ride-hailing business as Distribution/ (tba); Medical Devices/ Louis Ko, Jeffrey Wang; Pharmaceutical/ Justin Chin, Rie Nakajima, a result of the pandemic. Shuhei Sekiguchi; Private Equity/ Echo Yeh; Public Health/ Joyce Lee, Pongo Peng, Tim Shields; Retail/ By Matthew Fulco Ceasar Chen, Mark Chen, Peggy Liao; Sustainable Development Goals/ Kenny Jeng, Lume Liao, Cosmas Lu, Fupei Wang; Tax/ Heidi Liu, Cheli Liaw; 20 Revving Up Taiwan’s Technology/ Cynthia Chyn, Stella Lai, Angela Yu; Telecommunications & Media/ Thomas Ee, David Autonomous Vehicle Shin, Joanne Tsai; Transportation & Logistics/ (tba); Travel & Tourism/ Gina Tsai, Jason Yeh, Fiona Yuan. Development With a focus on driverless COVER DESIGN: GRACE YANG 4 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • SEPTEMBER 2020 9 contents.indd 4 2020/9/5 下午12:26 SEPTEMBER • VOLUME 50 NUMBER 9 INDUSTRY F CUS A Report on the Tourism Sector Looking Beyond the Pandemic 32 Strike While the Iron is Hot Taiwan’s tourism sector needs to start plan- ning now for how it will deal with the post- COVID-19 environment. By Joshua Samuel Brown 35 Taiwan’s COVID Tourism Deluge The domestic travel boom is a double-edged sword, boosting tourism revenue but strain- ing limited resources. By Matthew Fulco 37 Exploring the Destination Management Organization Model By Morgan Mills 38 STARLUX Airlines Struggles to Take Flight The pandemic has grounded Taiwan’s new carrier for the time being, but its long-term prospects still look promising. By Matthew Fulco BACKGROUNDER 28 On the Path to a BTA? Taiwan’s initiative in easing restrictions on imports of U.S. beef and pork should improve its case in favor of a bilat- eral trade agreement. By Don Shapiro EXECUTIVE SUITE 42 Meet William Zyzo of Z&A Knowledge Solutions By Jeremy Olivier AMCHAM EVENT 44 The 2020 Hsieh Nien Fan SPONSORED CONTENT 26 Asia Silicon Valley Development Plan 40 Facebook: Committed to Making a Better Digital World 46 Seeing Taiwan For a shortcut to the heart of Taiwan, ride a bike TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • SEPTEMBER 2020 5 9 contents.indd 5 2020/9/7 下午6:08 PRESIDENT'S VIEW Welcoming new developments and the potential opportunities they represent The end of summer always seems to come strengthen the already robust economic ties with a lot of changes. between the U.S. and Taiwan. Taiwan has We are pleased that the Taiwan government already moved from the U.S.’ 11th largest has finally relaxed its rules with respect to the trading partner to its 9th since 2018, and I importation of American pork and beef prod- am confident that a BTA would only help to ucts. This issue has long been a sticking point accelerate this trend. for the U.S. government, and it is important We have also had some changes at the that progress is now being made to resolve Chamber. With William Foreman’s depar- it. The U.S. pork and beef issue has also been ture, the Board of Directors asked me to used as political fodder for both sides of the step in and take over the role of President political aisle in Taiwan ever since the DPP on an interim basis. As a past Chairman of under Chen Shui-bian sought to lift a total ban AmCham Taipei, I am familiar with most on American beef imports in the early 2000s, of its members, have had interactions with and Ma Ying-jeou later relaxed restrictions many of the government officials the Chamber further during his own tenure in office. works with – both on the U.S. and Taiwan It is clear from past experience that tack- sides – and I know the Chamber’s staff well. ling this issue is not without some political As a longtime member, I also have a good cost; however, in the larger scheme of Tai- idea of what members want and expect from wan’s overall economic prosperity, it needed AmCham. In this respect, I will focus my to be addressed. I also believe that the Tsai efforts on meeting these expectations while at administration will take the necessary steps to the same time helping the Board find a new support the domestic industry and protect its permanent President. consumer base. It is my honor to serve the Chamber in this With the lifting of these restrictions we are capacity. already seeing a lot more background activity and statements from offices on both sides that indicate Taiwan could finally be on its way to negotiation of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the U.S. Statements by senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, also bolster this view. The Chamber has long supported a U.S.-Taiwan BTA as Leo Seewald such an agreement would make it easier President, for our members to do business and would American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei 6 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • SEPTEMBER 2020 9 presidents view.indd 6 2020/9/5 下午3:35 E D I T O R I A L Strengthened U.S. Relations esides making Taiwan one of the safest places on trading partners. Earth, the Tsai administration’s adept handling of the American officials have made clear their unwillingness to B COVID-19 crisis has brought additional benefits in the move forward on major new economic initiatives with Taiwan diplomatic sphere. Most notably, Taiwan’s public health achieve- – such as a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) – as long as those ments in the face of the coronavirus provided the rationale restrictions remain in place. The trade barriers could also be for last month’s visit to Taipei by U.S. Secretary of Health and a future issue if Taiwan has the chance to be considered for Human Services Alex Azar, the highest ranking American official membership in multilateral agreements. to step foot in Taiwan since formal diplomatic relations ended In her announcement, President Tsai stressed her govern- four decades ago. ment’s conviction that lifting the existing pork and beef Azar concentrated on health-related matters, thanking restrictions would pose no risk to human consumption. She cited Taiwan for its supply of protective equipment to help the U.S. studies done by her administration, as well as the international fight the pandemic and signing a Memorandum of Under- standards for trace amounts of ractopamine that were set in standing for bilateral cooperation in global health security, 2012. infectious disease control, and vaccine development. More But predictably, the move to ease the restrictions met with broadly, however, the visit was a further indication of the recent vehement objections from the opposition political camp and trend of steadily closer contacts between the U.S.