Monday - May 9: Presidential Office Compound and AmCham in Taipei

Presidential Office Compound and Vice-Presidential Artifacts Museum

Guarding the compound

 Our tour guide gave the tour in English. As we walked around the facility we were able to see the history of Taiwan. The building has a rich history and represents a turning point in architectural history form Classicism to Modernism. We were able to see the Constitution and many other displays such as gifts to Presidents and a display that showed the products of Taiwan. The guide said there were 3 Cs: Computers, Cell Phones, and Consumers. Some of the products were a number of medical supplies, various computers and cell phones, and Giant bicycles. What stood out was the gifts from the U.S. to the President did not seem to represent our culture very well. Compared to gifts given by other nations, our display paled in comparison. There are some many other items we produce that show our culture much better than what I saw on display.

AmCham - looks like a Detroit Office View

American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei

Andrea Wu, President of the American Chamber (AmCham) said the group is not a lobby group. They are a cross-industry representative that shares resources. Some of the issues they share resources for are through the support committees for issues like CSR, HR, IT, property rights and licensing, and sustainable development. The business environment is improving. By looking at political and economic trends, members obtain valuable information. Since Taiwan does not have a formal agreement with Taiwan, there is not an ambassador, but a director.

Each year AmCham produces a white paper called Taiwan Business Topics. They discuss current issues and bring them in front of the government of Taiwan and Washington. With a staff of 11 employees they host 200 lunches and 300 government meetings. They are celebrating 60 years and the topic of this year's white paper is diverse culture, integrated manufacturing capabilities, and supportive environments. They promote Taiwan as a test site for MNCs to produce products and services before entering China.

The issues AmCham is working on are HR talent shortage on finding enough quality employees, changing immigration policies so talent can be brought into Taiwan, and predictability of regulations. Some of the policies they monitor are the crisis in Japan, emergency plans, and energy policy and conservation. In the Executive Summary AmCham makes recommendations.

I had no idea what AmCham did before our visit. To me it seemed more like a lobby group. But after Andrea's presentation I would say it is more of a membership for industries and individuals so that they can be better informed on matters that impact their business. One of the benefits of AmCham is the network that you have available for business and professional issues.