Taipei, Taiwan – September 27, 2017

Taiwan and Holland, two countries – nearly 10,000 km apart – have a lot more in common than their small size and love for cycling. Both countries offer great business opportunities and share a history of success stories in investments and cooperation. Some 200 Dutch companies operate in Taiwan, while about the same number of Taiwanese businesses has set up subsidiaries in the Netherlands to serve the European market.

With highly qualified workforces, vibrant economies, excellent logistic connections, and strategically important locations – Holland for the European, Taiwan for the Asian market – the attractiveness of both regions is obvious.

However, both countries’ continuous efforts in building and maintaining good relations with each other have played a major part in these success stories from the beginning.

Mark Pol, Vice Mayor of Almere and Jan P. de Groot from Amsterdam business have come to Taiwan with a tight schedule of meetings and company visits. “Because personal exchange and communication is key to keeping good relations – in good and bad times”, Mr. de Groot explained.

 “40 of the 200 Taiwanese companies are currently based in the greater Amsterdam area including Almere – not only because it is a very attractive location, but also because we provide full support right from the start “, added the Vice Mayor.  

Dennis Bierman and Ian Chen from the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) in Taipei are fully dedicated to providing assistance to Taiwanese companies with plans to establish business activities in the Netherlands. They also offer continuous support to Taiwanese companies already operating in the Netherlands. 

Silicon Power welcomes Almere‘s Vice Mayor on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. (From left) Ian Chen, Senior Project Manager, Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, Dennis Bierman, Executive Director for Taiwan, Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, Jan P. de Groot, Director Taiwan desk, amsterdam business, Mark Pol, Vice Mayor City of Almere, Robert Nutsch, Director Business Development, Silicon Power, Nina Labitzke, Head of International Marketing, Silicon Power, Miranda Tsai, Senior Manager, Silicon Power, Wesley Lee, Head of Design, Silicon Power, Kerstin Tu, Admin. Deputy Manager, Silicon Power. 

Silicon Power, a provider of high-quality memory and storage products, is a perfect example of the Taiwanese-Dutch connection success story. The Taipei based company opened its first of now five international branch offices in Almere in 2005. “We started with three people in the Netherlands; today the thriving subsidiary consists of a team of 20 employees who cover Europe and North Africa. Actually, August 2017 was the most successful month since its foundation” said Robert Nutsch, SP’s Director Business Development and “we plan to grow and invest further into our office in Almere and our business activities in Europe”.

As a symbol for the good relations, gifts were exchanged at the end of the visit – Stroopwafels, Holland’s signature cookie for the Taiwanese hosts and customized portable hard drives for the safest storage of memories for the guests.  

“Taiwan is a great place with incredibly friendly people” were the Vice Mayor’s words of good-bye and “we will be back”. 

Gift and idea exchanging, Silicon Power HQ, Sept. 25, 2017