2022/02/17 |
Taiwan’s Minimum Wage Is Not Adequate for Its Cost of Living
Taiwan’s low minimum wage has contributed to half of workers earning less than what they need to have a basic standard of living.
2022/02/11 |
Lithuania’s Minimum Wage Is More Adequate for Its Cost of Living Than Taiwan’s
Though lower in nominal terms, Lithuania’s minimum wage is more adequate for its cost of living than Taiwan’s, and catching up fast.
2022/02/09 |
Taiwan’s Minimum Wage is One of the Lowest In Its League
Taiwan is a wealthy country. Its recently instituted minimum wage hike does not compare favorably with its international counterparts.
2022/02/09 |
Movement to Lower Taiwan’s Voting Age to 18 Gains Momentum
Public support for lowering the voting age in Taiwan has largely fallen along party lines.
2022/01/18 |
Taiwan’s GDP per Capita May Surpass Japan’s and South Korea’s—But Don’t Start Celebrating Yet.
Though the GDP per capita in Taiwan may be on pace to grow, few gains will be felt by workers.
2022/01/18 |
Taiwan’s Plan to Cement Its Newfound Alliance With Lithuania
Taiwan’s investment plan for Lithuania needs to be economically sound, and cannot rely simply on geopolitical conflict.
2022/01/14 |
The Siraya’s Fight for Recognition in Taiwan
The Siraya has yet to be officially recognized by Taiwan’s government as an Indigenous group, excluding them from access to social benefits including scholarship and subsidy for healthcare.
2022/01/13 |
Taiwan’s Businesses Are Increasing Prices To Earn Higher Profits
Average consumers will take a hit, while businesses will continue to earn high profits from the recent price increases.
2022/01/10 |
Gangster Political Dynasties, Vote Buying, and…Cabbages
Cabbage gifts to constituents may not be equivalent to vote buying. But they do speak of a culture that has not yet been extinguished in Taiwan.
2022/01/09 |
Taiwan: Lin Ching-yi Prevails in Win for Pan-Green Forces
Lin’s victory reflected the voters’ approval of her call to “end the politics of corruption,” which the DPP has made a central part of her campaign platform.
2022/01/09 |
Freddy Lim Recall Attempt Fails to Meet Threshold
The recall campaign against Freddy Lim has failed on account of falling short of its binding threshold.
2021/12/28 |
No, Taiwan Shouldn’t Sabotage TSMC: A Response to “Broken Nest”
A recent paper making the rounds in policy circles advocates for Taiwan to deliberately destroy semiconductor manufacturer TSMC to deter an invasion. Here’s why that’s not a good idea.
2021/12/21 |
Minimum Wage Increases Are Not Just About Low-Income Workers. Here’s Why.
The minimum wage in Taiwan matters to workers across all wage levels.
2021/12/18 |
Explainer: Taiwan’s 2021 Referendum Results
All four referendum questions in Taiwan have failed to pass, marking a victory for the governing DPP and setback for the opposition KMT.
2021/12/17 |
Cop, Philosopher, and President?
New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi wrote a master class in the art of the Chinese essay and offers a compelling conservative vision for Taiwan’s future. Should he run for president, he will be a very formidable candidate.
2021/12/07 |
Taiwan’s Businesses Can Afford to Contribute More to Social Security
Taiwan’s employers not only pay low wages to workers but also contribute little to the country’s social security. It is one of the lowest among high-income countries as a proportion of the economy.
2021/11/30 |
A Higher Minimum Wage Won’t Lead To Higher Unemployment in Taiwan
Despite what you may hear from business interest lobbyists, the historical data shows no clear correlation between a growing minimum wage and a higher unemployment rate.
2021/11/25 |
NT$25,250 Is Still Not Enough for a Basic Standard of Living in Taiwan
President Tsai increased the minimum wage by a larger percentage in six years than her predecessors in their full eight-year terms, but this is not good enough.