Business

To strengthen its position in the international supply chain and utilize its favorable trading location in East Asia, Taiwan has established five free trade zones at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and the harbors of Keelung, Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. To further expand trade opportunities, Taiwan has signed ATA Carnet agreements with several countries to eliminate customs paperwork for commercial travelers. Agreements on investment protection and the avoidance of double taxation have also been reached with trading partners.

Check cultural difference in doing business in Taiwan

Import restrictions
Tariff
Packing, marking and labelling
Methods of quoting and payment
Public health requirements

Pro-forma invoice
Commercial invoice
Certificate of origin
Bill of lading
Packing list
Special certificates

Taiwan places great importance on foreign and overseas Chinese investment and the government provides assistance to foreign nationals investing in Taiwan. Large-scale inward investment is a relatively recent phenomenon and more than 80 per cent of all inward investment has occurred in the last 10 years. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) administers Taiwan's macro-economic policy and monitors overall growth targets. Within the Ministry are a number of specialised agencies charged with specific responsibilities for the various aspects of economic planning and implementation.

The decision to set up a local office in Taiwan will depend on your market entry and maintenance strategy. Setting up a local office in Taiwan requires approval and presentation of documentation to support applications.

Infrastructure such as road, rail, harbours and airports are highly developed in Taiwan. Taiwan's rapid economic development over the past two decades has led to a surge in growth in all sectors of infrastructure. Taiwan's well-developed infrastructure and its world-class technology sector, combined with an export-driven economy, make it an ideal location for the development of e-business. The National Infrastructure Initiative outlined by the government sets out its e-business policy, which is to shape Taiwan into an e-commerce hub for the region.

Taxation
Finance

Taiwan has made great strides in accommodating the staffing needs of international companies with operations in Taiwan. Not only have application requirements and procedures for work permits for foreign nationals been clarified and streamlined through the consolidation of what was once the domain of many different agencies into a single window, many restrictions have either been lifted or significantly relaxed for multinationals, thus allowing for greater hiring flexibility.