How Taiwan Weathered the Asian Financial Crisis

This paper attempts to explain why Taiwan was able to cope with the East Asian financial crisis more successfully than other economies in East Asia. It pinpoints Taiwan's competitive industrial sector as the most likely relevant underlying factor. It also shows that while sound macroeconomic policy and prudent financial policy all contributed to allowing Taiwan to avert the crisis, an effective industrial policy that fostered industrial restructuring, strengthened industrial competitiveness, as well as helped to restore macroeconomic equilibrium, was the most instrumental factor.