This has left Taiwanese firms as the world's largest supplier of 13 critical computer components.

"There have been very few success stories, even among the Taiwanese firms."

First working at a textile factory as an English sectary for a Taiwanese firm that later went bankrupt.

And Taiwanese, Chinese and Korean firms have been slowly taking over, lowering prices and working hard and aggressively at increasing market share.

Taiwanese firms build steel mills in Nigeria and make furniture in Malaysia.

In the last year however, the Taiwanese firm has come under pressure from rivals, who have introduced appealing new models more frequently.

The first bloom of Taiwanese firms came amid the Vietnam War, as they were commissioned to supply fastener products to the United States Army.

In another move, Computer Applications Corporation, a leading Japanese software house, has started a joint venture with a Taiwanese firm called Systex.

The hotel is operated by a Taiwanese firm.

Now, because of competition from a Taiwanese firm, she said, her company was cutting back again.