German investment in Taiwan surges 264 percent year-on-year

Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) Approved German direct investment in Taiwan last year marked a 264 percent year-on-year increase to US$209 million, indicating German businesses see Taiwan as the most important strategic hub for technology development in the Asia Pacific, German Trade Office Taipei said Wednesday.

In a press release, the office highlighted the total amount of German investment in Taiwan approved by Taiwan's Department of Investment Review last year, saying it partly reflected the ever-expanding economic ties between the two countries.

German industry leaders that have set foot in Taiwan in recent years include Infineon Technologies AG, a global semiconductor solutions provider, and Merck Group, a science and technology company, according to the German Trade Office's Business Confidence Survey 2025 Mid-year Update.

The growth in German investment in Taiwan shows that German businesses see the country as the most important strategic hub for technology and research and development in the Asia Pacific region, despite disruptions in international supply chains and challenges facing German companies at home, the office said in the release.

Beyond investment, the office said bilateral trade between the two countries continued to grow last year, rising 6 percent from a year earlier to US$21.7 billion.

That marked the fifth consecutive year trade between Taiwan and Germany has exceeded US$20 billion, showing that bilateral economic and trade ties remain highly stable and provide a solid foundation for further development, the office said.

Eva Langerbeck, chief representative and executive director at the German Trade Office Taipei, said the status of bilateral trade is a clear sign of strong economic complementarity between the two sides, with cooperation now spanning semiconductors, green energy and smart transportation.

Germany and Taiwan have become indispensable technology partners, and moving forward, both sides will continue to promote collaboration in net-zero initiatives and smart automation, helping companies from both economies develop high-value cooperation amid global supply chain shifts, Langerbeck said.