Origin and Purpose 

In order to guide the development of overseas Taiwanese businesses, connect with Taiwanese advantages, and assist in promoting overseas Taiwanese brands, the Overseas Community Affairs Council, Republic of China (Taiwan) (OCAC) conducted the selection and counseling activities of the Taiwan Prime Awards in 2021. It was expected to use the concept of common channels and overall marketing to drive the development of overseas Taiwanese brands, reduce costs in marketing and improve effectiveness, gaining a wide response. Therefore, the OCAC is planning to continue and hold the expanded Taiwan Prime Award in 2022.

Handling Regions 

This year, the OCAC is planning to make the activity global with registering online. The Regions of Preliminary Selection are 19 regions in 16 countries where the OCAC, MOEA and TAITRA have stationed staff as shown in Table below.

Registration Qualification  

1. Overseas Taiwanese Companies  

A. The manufacturing unit of the registered company is located overseas (excluding China, Hong Kong and Macao), and enterprises with direct and indirect shareholding or capital contribution of overseas compatriots and Taiwanese entrepreneurs or enterprises exceeding 50%. However, except when the local laws and regulations limit the maximum proportion of foreign shareholding, and the company can prove that it has substantial control over the business, or there are other special circumstances, with the consent of OCAC.

B. The registered company is required to be registered in the country of manufacture of the product, and the products it produces must obtain manufacturing registration in the country where the product is manufactured, must be in normal operation, have good credit, implement Corporate Social Responsibility and be a profitable company (companies affected by COVID-19 are exempted from this).

2. Taiwan Prime 

A. The registered product is mass-produced consumer product on the market, and has applied for or obtained national standards and certifications in the country of manufacture of the product or international certification standards of the same level.

B. The brand owned by the company has obtained trademark rights in accordance with the trademark law of the country where the product is manufactured, or the trademark application is being applied for.

C. The same type of products of the winning companies in 2021 shall not be registered again.

D. Category：
(1) Electronics, Electrical Appliances, Communication Products, and Parts
(2) Fashion, Life and Cultural Creative Goods
(3) Leisure, Education and Sporting Goods

E. In the above categories of products, the same company only submit 1 product for per each category.

Selection Procedure 

1. Preliminary Selection  

A. Written information review

For the content description form of product selection items and product related supporting documents submitted by the registered company, the Overseas Preliminary Selection Review Committee will review and score based on the four selection items of “Research and Development”, “Design”, “Quality” and “Marketing”, while “The link with Taiwan” will be a bonus item.

B. Product evaluation

The overseas preliminary selection unit will notify the registered company to send the registered product (physical finished product) to the designated place at the appointed time. Review committee may request the company to demonstrate on-site operation or give a briefing if necessary. All registered items must be submitted as actual products for evaluation, except for special circumstances (such as the impact of COVID-19 and other force majeure factors) or all types of items with a base area exceeding 200 cm x 150 cm. These items can be displayed via video or other alternative methods with the approval of the overseas preliminary election unit.

C. Review Committee

The overseas preliminary selection unit invites representatives of various local chambers of commerce, and economic division and overseas compatriot affairs divisions of ROC missions, TAITRA staff, scholars and experts to form an overseas preliminary selection review committee of 9 or more members In principle, the overseas primary selection review committee invites the representative (or director) of the local ROC mission to serve as the chairman, and selects the shortlisted “Taiwan Prime” products.

D. The maximum numbers of products for Taiwan Prime submitted by each overseas preliminary region is 5 pieces.

2. Final Selection 

A. Written information review

(1) Within the time limit of the notice by the executive unit, the shortlisted company of “Taiwan Prime Award” shall hand in a 5-minute film for introduction, including the company profile, product introduction and award-winning achievements, etc.; and the film should be accompanied by Mandarin narration or Mandarin subtitles to facilitate the written review operation.

(2) The representatives of the OCAC and the Review Committee of Taiwan Prime and the representatives of the executive units shall review the information provided by the shortlisted companies in “Taiwan Prime Award”, and provide written review opinions to the shortlisted companies and request reply in a limited time, in order to facilitate the comprehensive assessment and recommend of The Final Selection for 30 elites.

B. Product evaluation

(1) The executive unit will notify the overseas preliminary selection unit to send the physical products of the shortlist that have entered the final selection to the designated place for evaluation within the specified time, except in special circumstances (such as the impact of COVID-19 and other force majeure factors) or all types of items with a base area exceeding 200 cm x 150 cm. These items will be able to be displayed via video or other alternative methods with the approval of the overseas preliminary election unit.

(2) The executive unit shall compile all the written review materials and the review opinions of the overseas preliminary selection unit, then provide the Taiwan final selection committee for reference.

(3) The executive unit will provide the reference by the overseas preliminary selection committee and the Taiwan final selection unit with the general opinions on the advantages and suggestions for improvement of the award-winning products to the registered companies.

C. Review committee 

The executive unit shall invite the OCAC, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan External Trade Development Council, representatives of local chambers of commerce, scholars and experts to form a review committee consisting of 9 or more members to conduct the final election.

3. Selection criteria 

“Written information evaluation” accounts for 50%, including “Research and Development” for 15%, “Design” for 15%, “Quality” for 10% and “Marketing” for 10%. An additional “The link with Taiwan”, will be a bonus item, adding up to 5 points. Product evaluation accounts for another 50%.