Taiwan, a little-known economic power

By: Jean-Pierre Boris Follow

Taiwan sees the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity to assert its economic autonomy from China. However, the challenge is not small for this little-known economic power.

Publicity

At the time of the coronavirus, the most serious health and economic crises for several decades, some countries are faring better than others.  

Among these, a stone's throw from Communist China, Taiwan. Taiwan, where President Tsai Ing Wen, re-elected in January 2020, began her second term on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Under her authority, this country of 24 million inhabitants was able to detect the threat of the coronavirus in time and take the necessary measures, so that no confinement was necessary and the number of victims on the island is minimal.

Does this mean that the Taiwanese economy does not encounter any difficulty? Does the pandemic lead the island to rethink its industrial organization and its commercial relationship with China? How did Taiwan position itself in the Sino-American trade war? Is Taiwanese capitalism as unequal as it is elsewhere or must it protect itself from the proximity of communist and authoritarian China by better distributing the fruits of collective wealth?

These are the questions asked of two guests:
-  Denis Forman has lived in Taiwan for over thirty years. He is a lawyer, vice-president of the Franco-Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and foreign trade advisor
- Mathieu Duchâtel , director of the Asia program at the Institut Montaigne, a Parisian think-tank of liberal orientation.

Other elements

► Reports

If there is one sector of the world economy in which Taiwan weighs a certain weight, primordial even, it is the electronic sector. Eco report from here Eco also signed Adrien Simorre, RFI correspondent in Taiwan-Electronics in Taipei

REP EDI EDA Electronics Taipei

The Sino-American trade war has gone a bit into the background since the news is occupied by the Covid pandemic19. There have been no new cases in Taiwan for more than 30 days, but this does not protect the country from the economic impacts of the Covid-19. It is an Eco report from here Eco incidentally signed Adrien Simorre.

REP EDI EDA Economic Impact Covid Taiwan

Young people in particular find it difficult to integrate into economic life. The ratio of wages to house prices is among the highest in the world. The price of an average home is about 15 years of average salary. As a result, a majority of young people continue to live with their parents until an advanced age and the authorities are struggling to stem the phenomenon.

Listen to this Eco report from here Eco by Adrien Simorre

REP EDI EDA / Real estate in Taipei 4'45 ''

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• Taiwan
• Economy
• Coronavirus

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