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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Most local US firms unaffected by Strait tensions: poll
American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan vice chairwoman Andrea Wu, left, and president Andrew Wylegala pose with a copy of the chamber’s latest white paper at a news conference in Taipei on June 22. Photo: Liao Chia-ning, Taipei Times.
FEW WORRIES: Events this month show the importance of economic collaboration with the US, which is essential to security, the American Chamber of Commerce said
By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporter, with Reuters
Most US companies in Taiwan have maintained normal operations amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait, although some have experienced disruptions due to rising shipping and insurance costs, as well as supply chain delays, the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan （AmCham） said yesterday.
The most influential international business organization in Taiwan shared its findings after conducting a survey among 529 member organizations.
About 77 percent of respondents said they had not been significantly affected by China’s military exercises around Taiwan, which followed a visit to Taipei by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The survey was conducted from Monday last week to Wednesday.
About 17 percent said they experienced disruptions, and one-third reported increased shipping and insurance costs, along with supply chain delays.
The disruptions stemmed from changes in policies or other concerns from companies’ offshore headquarters, it said.
Regardless, 46 percent said that increased military activity this year and next year would likely affect their operations, while the rest were unsure or did not anticipate being affected.
The AmCham survey presented respondents with a “spectrum of threats” that might be of concern, three of which stood out in the results.
First were general tensions, including disinformation and psychological campaigns targeting Taiwan, and second were constraints or barriers being placed on Taiwan’s periphery, it said.
Sanctions by China were the third concern, particularly travel bans, boycotts and embargoes against Taiwanese products and people, the survey showed.
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “not concerned” and 5 being “extremely concerned,” the respondents’ average level of concern about serious action being taken against Taiwan in the next 24 months was 2.8, it said.
Developments in recent weeks underscore the importance of supporting Taiwan’s resilience through stepped-up economic collaboration and integration, AmCham Taiwan president Andrew Wylegala said.
The events also show that Taiwan’s economic relationship with the US is essential to security, he added.
AmCham has been calling for an ambitious agenda to accelerate economic cooperation with Taiwan through the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade — an agreement to avoid double taxation in the US and Taiwan — and eventually via a bilateral trade agreement to benefit both sides, he said.
The chamber said that it is important for Taiwan to reinstate entry for foreign visitors to pre-COVID-19 regularity.
Taiwan has since early 2020 kept its borders shut to foreign tourists, creating barriers and inconveniences for trade shows, corporate meetings and commercial activity.
Separately yesterday, US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said that China’s actions around Taiwan increase the “level of risk” in the Taiwan Strait.
“We are living in a dangerous time,” Kendall told reporters on a teleconference from Guam.
“The military activities that China engaged in during the time of the speaker’s visit increased the level of risk and they violated a number of norms — crossing the [median] line [of the Taiwan Strait] was one, firing into the exclusive economic zone of Japan was another, and firing over Taiwan itself was another,” Kendall said.
“These are not actions that are designed to promote peace and stability in the region. They are very provocative and they increase the level of risk,” he said.
While Kendall declined to comment directly on the details of China’s crossings of the median line, he said China had overreacted to Pelosi’s trip.
“I would hope that their behavior returns to the norms that were established before,” he said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
