The number of people working for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan has hit a six-year high.
According to a white paper issued by the economics ministry on Friday, local SMEs employed more than 8.58 million people last year, the highest total since 2008. The figure accounted for 78.3% of Taiwan’s employed workforce.
The percentage of SME employees was fairly consistent with the ratio seen in recent years, which has ranged from a high of 78.47% in 2009 to a low of 76.58% in 2008, when the global financial crisis took place.
Total sales by SMEs slid 0.53% last year to NT$11.32 trillion (US$37.4 billion), or 29.44% of revenues generated by all businesses in Taiwan in 2013.
The majority of the revenues came from domestic sales, while sales generated overseas plummeted 18.53% year-on-year in 2013. Manufacturers of electronic components were the hardest hit.