Taiwan: Basic Guide For Business Travel

Time: Local time is GMT +8.

Electricity: Electrical current is 110 volts, 60Hz.

Language: Mandarin is the official language of Taiwan, but Taiwanese is often spoken and English is widely understood.

Health: Vaccination certificates for yellow fever are required for entry to Taiwan from travellers arriving from infected areas. Travellers are advised to have up-to-date jabs for hepatitis A and typhoid, and it is advisable for most long-term travellers to be inoculated against Japanese encephalitis. Due to recent outbreaks of dengue fever, insect repellents and other measures to prevent mosquito bites are recommended for those travelling to the southern part of the island. Visitors should only drink bottled water and should be wary of potential food poisoning. Taiwan's medical facilities are first-class, but health insurance is recommended for travellers.

Tipping: Tipping is not customary, although if offered it will be accepted. Baggage handlers at hotels and the airport will be pleased with some loose change. Hotels and restaurants will usually add a 10% service charge to the bill.

Safety: Most visits to Taiwan are trouble-free. The country has only a low incidence of petty crime, and is considered safe. The only threats are natural ones, because the island is prone to typhoons and tropical storms, usually between May and November, as well as earthquakes and tremors. These are seldom severe, however.

Business: Taiwan has traded heavily with the West for many years and business formalities have melded over time. However it is important to observe and respect the cultural heritage to which many firmly cling. Punctuality is expected in all meetings. Shaking hands, for men and women is common nowadays, but a bow goes a long way as a sign of respect. Often the Taiwanese are referred to by their family name only. Formal dress for both men and women is strictly observed in Taiwan. Gifts are commonplace and often include cultural trinkets, food and business paraphernalia. It is important to show respect to the senior ranking members in meetings. Business cards are a very important part of identification and should be printed in both English and Taiwanese. Business is never rushed and it is essential to be sociable. Business hours are generally 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday.

Communications: Taiwan's international country code is +886 and the outgoing code is 002 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 00244 for the UK). City/area codes are in use, e.g. 2 for Taipei. Six network operators provide mobile telephone services in various regions using either GSM 900 or 1800 networks. Internet cafes can be found in Taiwan's cities and towns, and most hotels in Taipei have Internet access in their bedrooms.

Duty Free: Travellers aged over 20 may enter Taiwan with the following goods without paying customs duty: 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 454g tobacco; 1 bottle of alcohol (maximum 1 litre); and a reasonable amount of perfume. Travellers are also permitted to bring personal goods valued up to NT$20,000 duty free (or NT$10,000 for those under 20 years). Goods made in certain countries such as Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Korea, Romania or Vietnam, and guns (even toy ones), as well as narcotics, fresh meat and fruit are prohibited.