World location news

Taiwan and the UK

Our mission

The British Office Taipei promotes trade, investment, innovation, culture, education and other links between the UK and Taiwan. We also provide practical assistance to British nationals in Taiwan.

Taiwan is the world’s 22nd largest trading economy. Its high-technology strengths and national investment programmes present significant opportunities for UK companies.

We see particular opportunities for UK companies in offshore wind, railways and nuclear decommissioning. The UK is strong in all three sectors, and UK firms are well-placed to compete for business as Taiwan prepares to build its first three offshore wind farms by 2020, invest heavily in new railway infrastructure over the next decade, and gets ready to switch off the first of its civil nuclear reactors in December 2018.

Taiwan is an excellent springboard into China for UK companies, as Taiwanese business has long-standing expertise working in China. (Taiwan was China’s fifth largest source of foreign direct investment in 2016, with around 80,000 Taiwanese companies located in China, accounting for 70% of China’s electronics manufacturing).

The British Office, through its Department for International Trade staff, publicises commercial opportunities, and supports and organises targeted events and visits. There are approximately 300 UK companies located in Taiwan, across a variety of sectors. These include financial and business services, ICT, telecommunications, infrastructure, environmental technology, creative industries and marine industries.

Likewise, Taiwanese companies are realising the benefits of setting up in the UK, where they can source the world’s best talent, products, services and technology. Currently over 180 Taiwanese companies have a presence in the UK and are using it as their base for global growth.

The UK is seen by Taiwan as a world leader in the creative industries, and cultural and educational links are growing. Each year 7,000 to 8,000 Taiwanese students go to the UK to study. Under our Chevening scholarship scheme, over 200 Taiwanese professionals have undertaken postgraduate study in the UK. Following the 2009 lifting of the visa regime for visits of under 6 months, Taiwanese tourism to the UK has risen sharply.

The British Office is co-located with the British Council and the British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei. We collaborate with the British Council on their work to promote education and cultural links. We work closely with the Chamber on providing export assistance to UK companies, with the Chamber focussing in particular on the food & drink, retail and education sectors.

Documents

Our announcements

  1. UK smart cities mission in Taiwan

    • World news story

  2. UK-Taiwan celebrate successful science and research co-operation

    • World news story

See all our announcements

Our publications

  1. Taiwan economic factsheet

    • Research and analysis

  2. Smart City Summit & Expo in Taipei, 26 - 29 March 2019

    • Notice

See all our publications