Forward-looking‧Professional‧International 
March 2020  
Global economy is constrained by the coronavirus outbreak
TIER composite indicators continue to decline
Most international forecasting agencies have adjusted their forecasts for this year downward due to the outbreak of coronavirus. As Taiwan and global economy are highly correlated, the composite indicators issued by the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) continue to decline. At this moment, it is still uncertain when relevant impacts can be contained.
Taiwan's exports in February 2020 increased by significantly 24.92% compared with the same month of 2019. Regarding imports, Taiwan's imports in February 2020 also increased by 44.66% compared with imports in February of 2019 due to base distortion that the lunar new year was in February last year, and it was in January this year.
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Ministry to ease rules on migrant construction hires
The government is revising regulations to make it easier to hire migrant workers for public construction projects to ease a labor shortage in the construction industry. The new rules are likely to take effect early in April, the Ministry of Labor said yesterday. At present, to be able to hire migrant workers, public works contractors must be working on a project with a total cost of at least NT$10 billion (US$330.73 million), any separate contracts must amount to NT$1 billion and the construction period must be 15 months or longer. (Source: Taipei Times)

Two investors were approved to station in the Export Processing Zones. The total five investment applications figures amounted over NT$ 1.7 billion. (Source: MOEA)
Taiwan Economic Research Monthly
Special edition: the impacts of COVID-19 to Taiwan's industries
COVID-19: Semiconductor industry
COVID-19: Food industry
COVID-19:Textile industry
COVID-19: Panel industry
COVID-19: Food service industry
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