IX. Business Travel Business Customs Formal business introductions in Taiwan are not complete without an exchange of business cards. It is advisable for foreign visitors to have their cards printed in both English and Chinese. There are numerous printers in Taiwan that specialize in printing these indispensable business aids. They offer accurate, low-cost service, with card orders normally being filled within only a few days. Since cards are required on nearly every business occasion, it is a good idea to carry sizable numbers of them at all times. The New Taiwan dollar (NTD) is the official currency. It is circulated in one-, five-, ten-, and fifty-dollar coins, and fifty, one- hundred, five-hundred, and one-thousand dollar notes. Since the relaxation of foreign currency controls in 1987, exchange between foreign currency and the NTD has become relatively free although exchange is still limited to authorized banks and dealers. Up to NTD40,000 and USD5,000 can be brought into Taiwan by a foreign visitor. it should, however, be declared on the customs slip that must be filled out upon entering the island. Foreign currency can also be exchanged at the airport, as well as at authorities- designated banks, hotels, and shops. In addition, internationally- recognized credit cards are accepted in many hotels, restaurants, and shops. It should be noted that a surcharge is sometimes added when payment is made by credit card. In most instances, tipping is not necessary. A 10 percent service charge is usually added to restaurant and hotel bills, eliminating the need for gratuities in such situations. it is, however, relatively common to leave the change when a bill is paid. Porters at hotels and airports customarily receive tips for their services. Approximately NTD50-NTD100 per item of luggage is acceptable. It not necessary to tip in taxis unless assistance with luggage is rendered, but most drivers do appreciate being allowed to keep small change. Travel Advisory and Visas: Taiwan has an extremely low-level of violent crime. Although normal precautions should be taken by visitors, the streets of Taipei and other cities are safe at any hour. While violent crime is rare, Taiwan's pickpockets and thieves are extremely clever, so valuables should be properly looked after. Taxi drivers, restaurateurs, store clerks and other service people are normally quite honest and often solicitous of the needs of the non-Chinese speaking foreign guest. The people of Taiwan are generally outgoing toward foreigners and often will go out of their way to assist visitors. U.S. citizens and citizens of eleven other nations may visit Taiwan for up to five days (120 hours) without a pre-arranged visa, providing they have a return plane ticket off the island and more than 6 months of validity left on their passport. Other visitors to Taiwan are required to have valid Taiwan visas. These can be obtained from authorized representative offices in the United States. Two basic types of nonofficial visas are available to foreign visitors, depending upon the nature and duration of their intended visits. Extensions of visitor visas may be granted up to a maximum of two extensions of sixty days each, provided applicants have valid grounds for making such requests. Applications for extensions are administered by the city/county police headquarters. No extensions are granted to those holding. Visitor visas with durations of stay limited to two weeks except in the event of force majeure or matters of vital importance. Foreign visitors from nations with which Taiwan has reciprocal visa agreements receive visitor visas free-of-charge. The visa fee for those from other countries is NTD500 for a single-entry visa and NTD1,000 for a multiple-entry visa. A one-year multiple-entry visitor visa is available to a representative of a foreign company that has recorded total import and export transactions with Taiwan amounting to USD600,000. Up to four such visas can be granted to foreign employees of any one company, with an additional USD600,000 in total transactions being necessary to qualify for each of these visas. Six-month and three-month multiple- entry visitor visas are available for respective transaction amounts of USD300,000 and USD100,000. Applications for multiple-entry visitor visas must be referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Normally, foreign nationals make application through their domestic Taiwan agents, representatives, or affiliates of their firms. Holidays There are 10 holidays and three festivals in Taiwan. Dates for the three festivals -- which include Chinese Lunar New Year day, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival -- change with lunar calendar. The following is a list of the 10 holidays and three festivals in Taiwan: Holidays Date -------------------------------------- -------------- Founding Day January 1 Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) Late Jan. - Mid Feb. Youth day March 29 Women and Children's Day April 4 Tomb Sweeping Day and President Chiang April 5 Kai-Shek day Dragon Boat Festival Late May - Mid June Mid-Autumn Festival September Confucius' Birthday September 28 Double Tenth National Day October 10 Taiwan retrocession Day October 25 President Chiang Kai-Shek's Birthday October 31 Dr. Sun Yat-Sen's Birthday November 12 Constitution Day December 25 Business Infrastructure A. Transportation Taiwan has two international airports, Chiang Kai-shek International and Kaohsiung International. Both offer regular flights to major destinations around the world. There are also several domestic airports and domestic airlines that provide fast and convenient connecting flights between Taiwan's larger cities, as well as outlying islands. For travel within Taipei and various other major cities, taxi drivers are obliged to use the meter to calculate the fare. The basic charge is NTD50 for the first 1.65 kilometers, with an additional NTD5 for every additional 350 meters. There is also an additional NTD5 charge for every three minutes the vehicle travels below a speed of five kilometers per hour. All taxis have a surcharge of NTD10 for luggage service. Since most taxi drivers can not speak English, the visitor should always carry Chinese-language versions of both his hotel namecard and desired destination. Bus services in major cities are quite extensive, but can be incomprehensible to the foreign visitor. A comprehensive long distance bus system run by the Taiwan Auto-Transport Company and Tong-Lieng Bus Company enables people to travel virtually anywhere on the island quickly, comfortably, and at reasonable cost. The Taiwan Railway Administration operates an extensive rail network that is more than 1,000 kilometers in length. B. Language Mandarin is the official language. Taiwanese, a variant of the Fukien dialect, is also commonly spoken, especially in the southern and rural areas. English is by far the most popular foreign language, and large numbers of people speak it with fluency. In particular, those working in hotels, business, or public organizations are likely to have a good command of the language. Moreover, many people, especially those educated before the Second World War, can also speak Japanese. C. Communications Facilities In general, Taiwan's telecommunications systems are efficient and convenient. Cities in Taiwan are plentifully supplied with blue public phones that can be used for both local calls and domestic long- distance calls. Facsimile is widely used everywhere in Taiwan. Direct transmission is available to many countries in the world as well. Most major companies, hotels, and business service centers have facsimile and telex services. In addition, the International telecommunications Administration (ITA) also has extensive videoconference facilities in its Taipei Communications Building. D. Accommodations and Housing Taiwan has a large number of international- and domestic-standard hotels, hostels, and inns. For those who plan to stay in Taiwan on a long-term basis, a wide selection of apartments and houses is available. Rental costs vary considerably, depending on location and size. Typically, rents in Taipei and environs are far higher than those in other parts of the island. Landlords frequently require deposits of up to two months' rent, and tenants are usually responsible for utilities. E. Health information As in many other tropical and sub-tropical areas, tap water in Taiwan should be boiled before drinking. Hotels and restaurants do provide drinking water, and bottled mineral water is widely available. Visitors should also take special care to wash all fruits and vegetables before eating and avoid eating in any of the island's countless street stalls, at least during the first few weeks of their stay. There are numerous international-standard private and public hospitals and clinics. Taiwan also offers high quality dental care, with most clinics being privately operated. The majority of doctors and dentists in Taiwan speak good English. Many western brand-name pharmaceuticals are sold in Taiwan, often without prescription. In addition, a wide range of foreign and domestic over-the-counter non-prescription drugs is available. Visits should, however, bring sufficient supplies of any specific medications they might require. Emergency medical treatment can be obtained by dialing 119. F. Food Chinese cuisine ranks among the best in the world, and there is no better place to sample it in all its infinite variety than in Taiwan. In the countless large and small restaurants, specialties from almost every region can be found. Major regional styles include the Peking, cantonese, Shanghai, Szechwan, and Hunnan cuisines. The local Taiwan cuisine and traditional Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are also well represented. Western food is gaining in popularity, as can be seen from the many western-style restaurants and foreign fast food chains that have set up branches in Taiwan's large cities in recent years. Visitors will find everything from hamburgers, pizza, and steaks to the finest European cuisine. Establishments serving other Asian cuisines can also be found in growing numbers in Taipei. Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, Malaysian, Korean and Japanese food are all big favorites with the city's residents, with the latter two being particularly popular.