USC to Sponsor Forum on U.S.-Taiwanese Business

Although China garners more attention in foreign-trade circles with its market potential and its efforts to join the World Trade Organization, Taiwan so far has proved to be a more valuable trading partner for California exporters. Last year, Taiwan ranked as the state’s fifth-leading purchaser of California-made goods and products, accounting for more than $8 billion in sales and outspending China (No. 11) by more than 2 to 1. Stan Shih, chairman and chief executive of Taiwan-based Acer Group, will lead a forum Friday at USC aimed at generating more business between U.S. and Taiwanese companies, particularly in the information technology and Internet-based commerce sectors. Representatives from IBM Corp., Lam Research Corp., Nortel Networks Corp., Sina.com and WaferTech/Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. are expected to participate. The forum is part of the Asia/Pacific Business Outlook 2001 conference, a two-day gathering on U.S. trade in Pacific Rim markets sponsored by USC’s International Business Education and Research Program. The event runs Thursday and Friday at the Davidson Conference Center. For more information, call (213) 740-7132.