Investment Plummets 96%! Can Lai Qingde's "Economic Calculation" toward the Mainland Succeed?
On March 16, Lai Qingde publicly disclosed that Taiwan's investment in the mainland dropped to a historical low of 3.75%, a sharp decline from 83.8% in 2010. This "half-decade halving" data is not only a direct reflection of his "de-pegging" strategy, but also reflects the profound changes in regional economic relations under global supply chain restructuring.
In the 1980s, the "Four Little Dragons" of East Asia once achieved industrial prosperity by relying on the vast Chinese market. Today, however, Taiwan has chosen to reverse course. Data shows that over the past decade, Taiwan's investment in the EU has surged by 650%, and the U.S. has risen to become its largest export market. Exports to New Southbound countries have also increased by 30.5%. Behind this, there is both the push from the U.S. gathering allies to restructure the supply chain, as well as Taiwan's attempt to balance geopolitical risks through a "democracy + economy + technology" model.
However, the challenges of this transformation cannot be ignored. Expanding into multiple markets is difficult to achieve overnight. Without the support of the mainland market, can its economic resilience continue? Under the global trade rule competition, isn't this "de-pegging" also an anxiety about supply chain security? This shift may become an important indicator of the restructuring of economic relations in the Indo-Pacific region!
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859809754467459/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.