《TAIPEI TIMES》AmCham lauds ties, urges better policy reform

American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan chairperson Anita Chen, right, and president Carl Wegner pose for pictures at a news conference to release the group’s 2026 Taiwan White Paper in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA

EXECUTION GAP: Taiwan’s reform agenda continues to advance, but is inconsistent across agencies and policy domains, the chamber’s annual white paper said

By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporter US-Taiwan economic ties are deepening even as uneven policy execution continues to weigh on reform momentum, the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan （AmCham） said yesterday in its annual white paper on Taiwan.

Bilateral trade reached US$256 billion last year, making Taiwan the US’ fourth-largest trading partner, underscoring what AmCham described as increasingly interdependent supply-chain and technology linkages between the two economies.

AmCham president Carl Wegner said the relationship is entering a “golden age,” while downplaying concerns over a US Section 301 investigation into allegations that multiple economies, including Taiwan, have failed to effectively prohibit imports linked to forced labor.

The probe covers about 60 economies and is not specifically targeted at Taiwan, Wegner said, adding that the situation might become clearer as the investigation progresses.

Despite strong macroeconomic ties, the white paper pointed to persistent gaps in policy execution, saying that Taiwan’s reform agenda continues to advance, but remains inconsistent across agencies and policy domains.

The chamber tracked 237 policy issues over the past year, of which seven have been fully resolved, 49 show concrete progress, and about 70 percent remain classified as “under observation” or “on hold.”

AmCham said it refined its methodology this year by breaking long-standing policy recommendations into more granular sub-issues, aiming to provide a clearer picture of where reforms are advancing and where implementation is stalling.

“This revised framework is intended to improve visibility rather than signal deterioration,” AmCham chairperson Anita Chen （陳幼臻） said, adding that it is designed to better identify areas where government-industry dialogue can be strengthened.

Taiwan remains a “critical and trusted supply-chain partner,” she said, citing ongoing regulatory progress as evidence of sustained engagement between policymakers and industry.

The white paper sets out four priority areas for the coming year: strengthening economic security and trade and investment frameworks; improving energy and infrastructure resilience; deepening strategic technology cooperation; and enhancing governance and talent policies.

On trade and investment, AmCham called for more predictable regulatory processes and greater policy consistency, saying that clearer rules are needed to support foreign investment and Taiwan’s role in global supply chains.

Energy and infrastructure were identified as structural constraints, with the chamber urging continued efforts to build stable and sustainable systems capable of supporting long-term industrial expansion.

In technology, the report emphasized cooperation in artificial intelligence and advanced industries, positioning Taiwan as a critical node in resilient global supply chains amid rising geopolitical uncertainty.

On governance and talent, AmCham highlighted the need for greater regulatory transparency and more forward-looking workforce policies to address demographic pressures and support long-term competitiveness.

AmCham said Taiwan remains on a broadly positive reform trajectory, but said that sustained progress would depend on more consistent and coordinated implementation across agencies and policy areas.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES