One of the core objectives of the ACT Global Program is to prepare students for the realities of doing business in diverse regional environments shaped by different cultural, political, and economic contexts. The course Asian Business Context, offered under the Taiwan module, supports this objective by introducing students to the historical and socio-political foundations of Asia’s business landscape. In addition to lectures, Professor Timo Eccarius and Dr. Jennet Achyldurdyyeva invite scholars to provide deeper insights into regional dynamics. The first guest lecture was delivered by Professor Chuei-Ling Shin from the Department of Political Economy at National Sun Yat-sen University. Professor Shin holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Birmingham and specializes in globalization, regional integration, and international political economy. Her two-session lecture, titled East Asia and the Transformation of Globalization: Economic Security, Regional Realignment, and Taiwan’s Strategic Role, took place on November 26 and December 3.

Professor Shin began by discussing how globalization enables firms to restructure production globally, creating an integrated supply chain, especially in East Asia, where industries are marked by vertical integration, geographical concentration, and strong adaptability. She then examined the rise of geoeconomic securitization and the intensifying US-China rivalry, highlighting how business decisions today increasingly consider national security risks. Concepts such as outsourcing, friend-shoring, near-shoring, and the China+1 strategy were introduced to explain how companies are adjusting to geopolitical pressures. She also analyzed the impact of Trump’s tariffs.

At the regional level, Professor Shin outlined Asia’s evolving market architecture by comparing ASEAN’s flexible integration model with the institutionalized structure of the European Union. She explained how free trade agreements such as  Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) shape economic cooperation in the region. 

The national level discussion focused on Taiwan. Professor Shin reviewed Taiwan’s political and economic development, including the socio-economic factors that support its competitiveness. The lecture concluded with Taiwan’s semiconductor industry as a focal case, illustrating how firms like TSMC evolved through policy support, technological advancement, and strategic adaptation to geopolitical uncertainty.

By connecting geopolitical tensions to concrete business practices, such as supply chain restructuring, investment decisions, and technological competition, Professor Shin helped students see how political economy directly influences corporate strategy. She offered ACT students a clear and structured understanding of how global, regional, and national forces intersect to shape business opportunities and challenges in East Asia — which are useful analytical tools for navigating East Asia’s complex business environment and encouraged students to think critically about the interdependence between politics, economics, and business decision-making.