• Chairperson nationality, 49% direct and 60% combined foreign ownership caps could be waived case by case
• The move targets satellite operators that need foreign capital or expertise to build ground infrastructure in Taiwan
The fact
Taiwan's Transportation Committee has approved draft amendments to the Telecommunications Management Act that would allow satellite network providers to seek exemptions from existing eligibility rules. Current law requires an operator's chairperson to be Taiwanese, caps direct foreign ownership at 49% and limits combined direct and indirect foreign ownership to 60%.
Before granting an exemption, the regulator would assess national security, network security, telecommunications resource use and industry development. Supplementary resolutions also identify the location of satellite ground stations and data storage in Taiwan as key review factors. The amendments still require approval from the full legislature.
The assessment
The amendments shift Taiwan's satellite market entry from a fixed-eligibility model to a case-by-case review. That matters for satellite operators — particularly global LEO providers — that need local ground stations and data centres but cannot meet the current foreign ownership caps.
The supplementary resolution tying exemptions to ground station and data storage location in Taiwan is the telling detail. Rather than a blanket market opening, the policy trades ownership flexibility for local infrastructure investment while preserving national security leverage. Operators willing to build locally may find the exemption route straightforward. Those planning remote service delivery will not.
For BTW readers, the ground station localisation requirement is the signal. Taiwan is using ownership flexibility as a bargaining chip for infrastructure build-out, not as a blanket market opening.
What to watch
Watch whether the full legislature passes the amendments and which operators are first to apply for exemptions. The location requirement for ground stations and data storage will determine whether the policy attracts infrastructure investment or remains unused.