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, R.O.C (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, and gained a wide response. In 2022, the OCAC continue to hold the expanded Taiwan Prime Award Selection. Also, in order to help the winners of the selection to enhance competitiveness and expand businesses, and promote exchange opportunities between well performing domestic enterprises and the winners, the OCAC invited all awarded enterprises to visit Taiwan in 2023. The selection and counseling activities have continued in 2024.

Handling Regions

(I)	Registrations shall be conducted online, overseas Taiwanese companies in all countries around the world are welcomed to register in the selection (not including China, Hong Kong and Macao Areas).
(II)	The regions responsible for handling overseas preliminary selections and their respective regional scopes shall be further divided into 19 regions based on the currently existing regions where the OCAC has deployed staff (as shown in below Table).
(III)	Registered overseas Taiwanese companies shall be reviewed for eligibility by staff stationed overseas by the OCAC or Cultural Center of representative office of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) abroad, and upon approval, their registration information shall be submitted to regions responsible for preliminary selections.
(IV)	In cases where the registering overseas Taiwanese companies do not have staff stationed overseas by the OCAC or Cultural Center of representative office of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) abroad, their eligibility review shall be conducted by the organizer, and upon approval, their registration information shall be submitted to nearby regions responsible for preliminary selections.

NO.	Regions Responsible for Overseas Preliminary Selection	Preliminary Selection Regional Scope
NO.	Regions Responsible for Overseas Preliminary Selection	Eligibility review units
01	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York, U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in New York, U.S.A.	Eastern United States (including Washington,D.C. and Boston) Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
01		◼ Culture Center of TECO in New York, U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in the U.S. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Boston, U.S.A.
02	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Chicago, U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Chicago, U.S.A.	Southeastern United States (including Atlanta and Miami) Region registrations and organizer- assigned registrations
02		◼ Culture Center of TECO in Chicago, U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Atlanta, U.S.A. ◼ Secretary, TECO in Miami, U.S.A.
03	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in San Francisco, U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in San Francisco (Milpitas) , U.S.A.	Northwestern United States (including Seattle) Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
03		◼ Culture Center of TECO in San Francisco (Milpitas) , U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in San Francisco, U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Seattle, U.S.A.
04	◼ Taipei Economic andCultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles, U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO inLos Angeles (El Monte) , U.S.A.	Southern United States (including Houston)and Honolulu Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
04		◼ Culture Center of TECO in Los Angeles (ElMonte), U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Los Angeles (Santa Ana), U.S.A. ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Houston, U.S.A.
05	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), Toronto, Canada ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Toronto, Canada	Canada Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
05		◼ Culture Center of TECO in Toronto, Canada ◼ Expatriate Division, TECO in Vancouver, Canada
06	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), Sao Paulo, Brasil ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Sao Paulo	Latin America Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
06		◼ Culture Center of TECO in Sao Paulo ◼ Secretary, Embassy of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) in Guatemala ◼ Secretary, TECO in Argentina ◼ Consul, Consulate-General of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) in Eastern City, Paraguay
07	◼ Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany ◼ Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany,Frankfurt am Main office (Jurisdiction of the Germany Taiwan Commercial Council)	Germany Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
07		◼ Secretary, Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany ◼ Expatriate Division,Taipei Representative Office in the Federal Republic of Germany, Frankfurt am Main office
08	◼ Taipei Representative Office in France	France and Netherlands Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
08	◼ Taipei Representative Office in France	◼ Overseas Residents Service, Taipei Representative Office in France ◼ Secretary, Taipei Representative Office in the Netherlands
09	◼ Taipei Representative Office in the U.K.	UK Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
09	◼ Taipei Representative Office in the U.K.	Expatriate Division, Taipei Representative Office in the U.K.
10	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Japan ◼ TECO in Osaka (Jurisdiction of the Japan Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry)	Japan Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
10		◼ Expatriate Division, TECO in Japan ◼ Secretary, TECO in Osaka
11	◼ Taipei Mission in Korea	South Korea Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
11	◼ Taipei Mission in Korea	Expatriate Division, Taipei Mission in Korea
12	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines ◼ Culture Center of TECO in the Philippines	Philippine Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
12		Culture Center of TECO in the Philippines
13	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Vietnam ◼ TECO in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Jurisdiction of the Council of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Vietnam)	Vietnam Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
13		◼ Secretary, TECO in Vietnam ◼ Expatriate Division, TECO in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
14	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Thailand	Thailand Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
14	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Thailand	Expatriate Division, TECO in Thailand
15	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Myanmar	Myanmar Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
15	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Myanmar	Expatriate Division, TECO in Myanmar
16	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Malaysia	Malaysia Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
16	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Malaysia	Expatriate Division, TECO in Malaysia
17	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Jakarta, Indonesia	Indonesia Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
17		Expatriate Division, TECO in Jakarta, Indonesia
18	◼ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Sydney, Australia ◼ Culture Center of TECO in Sydney, Australia	Australia and New Zealand Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
18		◼ Culture Center of TECO in Sydney, Australia ◼ Queensland Taiwan Centre, Australia ◼ Secretary, TECO in Melbourne, Australia ◼ Expatriate Division, TECO in Auckland, New Zealand
19	◼ Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa	Africa Region registrations and organizer-assigned registrations
19	◼ Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa	◼ Secretary, Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa ◼ Secretary, Taipei Liaison Office in Cape Town

Registration Qualification

(I) Overseas Taiwanese Companies

A. The manufacturing unit of the registered company is located overseas (excluding China, Hong Kong and Macao), and companies with direct and indirect shareholding or capital contribution of overseas compatriots and Taiwanese entrepreneurs or enterprises exceeding 50%. However, exceptions can be made under following circumstances:

(A) When the local laws and regulations limit the maximum proportion of foreign shareholding, and when the company can prove that it has substantial control over the business, please provide written verification in Mandarin.

(B) When there are other special circumstances approved by the OCAC, please provide written verification from local chambers of commerce.

B. The registering company must have its company registration established in the country where the product is finally produced (not including China, Hong Kong and Macao), and must acquire production and manufacturing registration in the country where the final production and manufacturing line is set up. It must be in normal operation, have good credit, implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and be a profitable company.

(II) Products for 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. Awarded companies in past years shall not be registered in the selection again for the same products.

D. There are 11 categories：
(A) Electronics, Electrical Appliances, Communication Products, Parts & Accessories
(B) Software
(C) Computer Hardware & Peripherals
(D) Fashion、Life & Cultural Creative Goods
(E) Leisure, Education & Sporting Goods
(F) Household Products & Building Materials, Safety Products, Hardware Products, Hand Tools
(G) Precision Instruments & Medical Equipment
(H) Chemical Materials & Products, Textiles, Packaging
(I) Vehicle
(J) Machineries, Parts & Accessories
(K) Green Energy Technology, Products/Equipment, Parts & Accessories

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

Selection Procedure

(I) Overseas 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 six evaluation items of 'Research and Development','Design','Quality','Marketing', 'The link with Taiwan', and 'Sustainable Development'.

B. Product evaluation

The overseas preliminary selection organizer will notify the registered company to demonstrate the registered product for review and evaluation, through either online or via video methods within the designated time period.

C. Review Committee

The overseas preliminary selection organizer invites representatives of various local chambers of commerce, and the expatriate division, the economic division from the representative office of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) abroad, TAITRA staff, scholars and experts to form an overseas preliminary selection review committee of 7 or more members. In principle, the Overseas Primary Selection Review Committee invites the representative (or director) of the local representative office of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) to serve as the chairman, and selects the shortlist for the Taiwan Finals.

D. The shortlist for each overseas preliminary region includes a maximum of 5 products.

(II) Taiwan Finals

A. Written information review

(A) Within the time limit of the notice by the organizer, the companies on the shortlist for the Taiwan Finals shall hand in a 5-minute film, including the company profile, product introduction and award-winning achievements, etc. The film should be accompanied by Mandarin narration or Mandarin subtitles.

(B) The organizer and representatives of the Review Committee of the Taiwan Finals shall review the information provided by the finalist companies in the final selection, provide written review opinions to the finalist companies with a request for replies within a set time frame so as to facilitate comprehensive evaluation and make recommendations for a maximum number of 30 products in principle.

B. Product evaluation

(A) The organizer will notify registering companies to send the actual products enlisted for the Taiwan Finals to the designated place for evaluation. Exceptions shall be made under special circumstances or when the base area of products exceeds 200 cm x 150 cm, where they may be displayed via video or other alternative methods upon approval from the organizer of the Taiwan Finals.

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

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

C. Review committee

Representatives of the organizer, representatives of overseas chambers of commerce, scholars and experts shall form a review committee consisting of 9 or more members to conduct the Taiwan Finals.

3. Selection criteria

Both the Overseas Preliminary Selection and the Taiwan Finals' evaluation methods include 'written document reviews' and 'product evaluation'. Out of a total score of 100, 'Research and Development' shall account for 25 points, 'Design' for 25 points, 'Quality' for 20 points, 'Marketing' for 20 points, and 'The link with Taiwan' and 'Sustainable Development' for 5 points, respectively.