EIU has rated Taiwan 3rd best in Asia, 17th from top in the world, in the global outlook report regarding business environment

The Economist Information Unit (EIU) has in its newly published “Country Forecast – Global Outlook” report upgraded its evaluation of Taiwan’s business environment from "good" to "very good". In the EIU’s latest business environment ranking, Taiwan ranked the 17th place worldwide, 4 grades advancing from the 21st in the last report, while China, the 38th in the globe. EIU indicates that, in Asia, Taiwan is next only to Singapore and Hong Kong, but better than South Korea, Japan, and China. EIU also forecasts our economic growth rate to be around 3.2% in 2003, 5.4% in 2004, and the inflation rate shall be –0.2% in 2003, and 0.5% in 2004.

In the ten indications given by the said report, Taiwan has shown its outstanding performance among Asian countries under “customs tariffs policy”, which ranked the 2nd, “foreign trade policy”, which ranked the 3rd, Taiwan ranked the 4th under items of “general business environment”, “market opportunity”, “foreign trade and exchange regime”, and “labor market”. On the “political environment”, “private enterprises” and “policies towards competition”, “fiscal policy”, “essential construction” Taiwan ranked the 5th. (2003.11)

CYJ/YVO