DEF 14A
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
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Filed by the Registrant
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Filed by a party other than the Registrant
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Check the appropriate box: |
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o Preliminary Proxy Statement
o Confidential, For Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
þ Definitive Proxy Statement
o Definitive Additional Materials
o Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
THE TAIWAN FUND, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
þ No fee required.
o Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the
filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange
Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the
offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing
by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the
date of its filing. |
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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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Date Filed: |
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THE
TAIWAN FUND, INC.
c/o State Street Bank and
Trust Company, P.O. Box 5049,
2 Avenue de Lafayette, 6th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts
02206-5049
For questions about the Proxy Statement, please call
(800) 636-9242
December 11,
2006
Dear Stockholder:
Enclosed you will find a Notice and Proxy Statement for the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders of The Taiwan Fund, Inc. to
be held on Monday, January 22, 2007.
The only matter on which you, as a stockholder of the Fund, are
being asked to vote is the election of the Funds
directors. The Board of Directors recommends that you vote in
favor of the re-election of the Funds existing directors
listed on the proxy card.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT, REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF
SHARES YOU OWN. PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO REVIEW THIS
MATERIAL, CAST YOUR VOTE ON THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND RETURN
IT IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE. YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE
IS NEEDED TO AVOID
FOLLOW-UP
MAILINGS WHICH WOULD INCREASE COSTS PAID BY ALL STOCKHOLDERS.
Thank you very much for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Benny T. Hu
President
THE
TAIWAN FUND, INC.
Notice
of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
January 22,
2007
To the Stockholders of THE TAIWAN FUND, INC.:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
of The Taiwan Fund, Inc. (the Fund) will be held at
the offices of HSBC Investments (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Main
Building, Level 22, 1 Queens Road, Central, Hong
Kong, on Monday, January 22, 2007 at 2:00 p.m., local
time, for the following purposes:
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(1)
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To elect eight directors to serve for the ensuing year.
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(2)
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To transact such other business as may properly come before the
meeting or any adjournments thereof.
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The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on
November 22, 2006 as the record date for the determination
of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting
or any adjournments thereof.
You are cordially invited to attend the meeting. Stockholders
who do not expect to attend the meeting in person are requested
to complete, date and sign the enclosed form of proxy and return
it promptly in the envelope provided for that purpose. The
enclosed proxy is being solicited by the Board of Directors of
the Fund.
By order of the Board of Directors
Adelina Louie
Secretary
December 11, 2006
PROXY
STATEMENT
THE
TAIWAN FUND, INC.
INTRODUCTION
This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the
solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of THE TAIWAN
FUND, INC. (the Fund) for use at the Annual Meeting
of Stockholders, to be held at the offices of HSBC Investments
(Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Main Building, Level 22, 1
Queens Road, Central, Hong Kong, on Monday,
January 22, 2007 at 2:00 p.m., local time, and at any
adjournments thereof. The Funds investment adviser is HSBC
Investments (Taiwan) Limited (the Adviser), 99 Tun
Hwa South Road, Section 2, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
The approximate date on which this Proxy Statement and the form
of proxy will be mailed to stockholders is December 13,
2006. Any stockholder giving a proxy has the power to revoke it
by mail (addressed to the Secretary of the Fund c/o the
Funds administrator, State Street Bank and Trust Company,
at the Funds address at P.O. Box 5049, 2 Avenue
de Lafayette, 6th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts
02206-5049)
or in person at the meeting, by executing a superseding proxy or
by submitting a notice of revocation to the Fund. All properly
executed proxies received in time for the meeting will be voted
as specified in the proxy or, if no specification is made, for
the election of directors described in this Proxy Statement.
Abstentions are included in the determination of the number of
shares present at the meeting for purposes of determining the
presence of a quorum.
The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on
November 22, 2006 as the record date for the determination
of stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting
and at any adjournment thereof. Stockholders on the record date
will be entitled to one vote for each share held, with no shares
having cumulative voting rights. As of the record date, the Fund
had outstanding 16,365,572 shares of common stock.
Management of the Fund knows of no business other than that
mentioned in Proposal (1) of the Notice of Meeting which
will be presented for consideration at the meeting. If any other
matter is properly presented, it is the intention of the persons
named in the enclosed proxy to vote in accordance with their
best judgment.
The Fund will furnish, without charge, a copy of its annual
report for its fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 to any
stockholder requesting such report. Requests for the annual
report should be made in writing to The Taiwan Fund, Inc.,
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O.
Box 5049, 2 Avenue de Lafayette, 6th Floor, Boston,
Massachusetts
02206-5049,
Attention: William C. Cox, or by calling
(800) 636-9242.
ELECTION
OF DIRECTORS
Persons named in the accompanying form of proxy intend in the
absence of contrary instruction to vote all proxies for the
election of the eight nominees listed below as directors of the
Fund to serve for the next year, or until their successors are
elected and qualified. Each of the nominees for director has
consented to be named in this Proxy Statement and to serve as a
director of the Fund if elected. The Board of Directors of the
Fund has no reason to believe that any of the nominees named
below will become unavailable for election as a director, but if
that should occur before the Annual Meeting for the Fund, the
persons named as proxies in the proxy cards will vote for such
persons as the Board of Directors of the Fund may recommend.
Information
Concerning Nominees and Officers
The following table sets forth certain information concerning
each of the nominees as a director, each of whom is currently
serving as a director of the Fund, and officers of the Fund.
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Principal
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Occupation(s)
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Position(s)
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or Employment
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Other Directorships in
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Name, Address, and
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Held with
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Director
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During Past Five
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Publicly-Held
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Age
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Fund
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Since
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Years
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Companies or Funds
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Independent Current
Directors
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Harvey Chang (55) #
21F,
No. 172-1,
Section 2
Ji-Lung Road
Taipei, Taiwan, ROC 106
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Chairman of the Board (since July
2005) and Director
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2005
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President and Chief Executive
Officer, Taiwan Mobile Company Limited (September 2003-present);
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Taiwan
Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (February 1998-September
2003).
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Director, Taiwan Mobile Co. Ltd.
(2003-present).
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Shao-Yu Wang (83) #
Apt. 5H
No. 56 Tun Hwa
South Road, Section 2
Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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Director
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1986
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Chairman of the Board of Trustees,
Soochow University (1987-present); Chairman of the Board of
Trustees, Min Chuan University, (1986-present); Chairman of the
Board of Trustees, Fu-Dan High School (1986-present); Chairman,
Evernew Biotech, Inc. (1985-present); Director, TSR Corp.
(1985-present); Chairman, TSR Corp. (2005-present).
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Director, America California Bank
(2003-present); Director, TSR Corp. (1985-present).
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Christina Liu (50) #
Suite 312,
No. 3-1
Jinan Road
Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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Director
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2005
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Consultative Board Member,
Commission On Economic Planning and Development, Executive Yuan,
Taiwan, ROC (1996-present); Consultative Board Member, Central
Deposit Insurance Corp. Taiwan, ROC (1996-2002).
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Director, Taiwan Stock Exchange
(1995-2005).
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Joe O. Rogers (58) #
2477 Foxwood Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
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Director
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1986
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Organizing Member, The Rogers Team
LLC (July 2001-present); Manager, The J-Squared Team LLC (April
2003-May 2004).
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Director and Member of the Audit
Committee, The China Fund, Inc. (1992-present).
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Principal
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Occupation(s)
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Position(s)
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or Employment
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Other Directorships in
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Name, Address, and
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Held with
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Director
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During Past Five
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Publicly-Held
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Age
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Fund
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Since
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Years
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Companies or Funds
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M. Christopher Canavan, Jr. (67)
#
73 Brook Street
Wellesley, MA 02482
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Director
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2003
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Independent Consultant
(2000-present); Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (Coopers
& Lybrand) (1972-1999).
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Director and Chairman of the Audit
Committee, Bruker Biosciences, Inc. (2000-present).
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Anthony Kai Yiu Lo (57) #
23/F Shun Ho Tower
24-30 Ice
House Street
Central, Hong Kong
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Director
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2003
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Chairman and Co-CEO, Shanghai
Century Acquisition Inc. (February 2006-present); Director,
Advantage Ltd. (2004-January 2006); Founder and Managing
Director, Advantage Ltd. (1999-August 2004); Vice Chairman, ABN
Amro HG Asia Ltd. (1998-1999).
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Member of Listing Committee, Stock
Exchange of Hong Kong Ltd. (1996-May 2006).
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Interested Current
Directors
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*Benny T. Hu (57) #
6 F, 76 Tun HwaSouth Road,
Section 2
Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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President and Director
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1993
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Chairman, China Development
Industrial Bank (June 2003-May 2004); Chairman, China
Development Asset Management Corp. (June 2001-May 2004);
Ambassador-at-Large, Republic of China (May 2001-May 2006).
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Director, USI Far East Corp.
(2004-present); Supervisor, China Steel Corp. (2004-present);
Supervisor, Winbond Electronics Corp. (2002-present); Director,
China Development Financial Holding Corp. (June 2001-May 2004);
Director, Yangming Marine Transport Corp. (2001-present).
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Principal
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Occupation(s)
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Position(s)
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or Employment
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Other Directorships in
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Name, Address, and
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Held with
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Director
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During Past Five
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Publicly-Held
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Age
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Fund
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Since
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Years
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Companies or Funds
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*Blair Pickerell (50) #
Level 22, HSBC Main Building
1 Queens Road Central
Hong Kong
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Director
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2005
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Chairman, HSBC Investments (Taiwan)
Ltd. (May 2003-present); Chief Executive Officer, Asia-Pacific,
HSBC Investments (Hong Kong ) Ltd. (May 2003-present); Director,
HSBC Jintrust Fund Management Company Limited (November
2005-present); Managing Director, Capital Holdings Ltd. (January
2003-May 2003); Managing Director, JF Asset Management Ltd.
(August 1999-December 2002).
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Officers
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*Adelina Louie (40)
Level 22 HSBC
Main Building
1 Queens Road, Central
Hong Kong
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Secretary, Treasurer and Chief
Compliance Officer
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2004
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Deputy Chief Operating Officer,
Asia Pacific, HSBC Investments (Hong Kong) Limited (May
2006-present); Chief Operating Officer, HSBC Investments
(Taiwan) Ltd. (March 2004-April 2006); Area Commercial Manager,
HSBC (U.K.) Ltd. (February 2002-March 2004); Senior Vice
President, Custody & Clearing, HSBC (Indonesia) Limited
(June 2000-February 2002).
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Mary Moran Zeven (45)
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Assistant Secretary
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2005
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Senior Vice President and Senior
Managing Counsel, State Street Bank and Trust Company
(2002-present); and Vice President and Counsel, State Street
Bank and Trust Company
(2000-2002).
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Nominee for director. |
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Nominee or officer is considered to be an interested
person (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the 1940 Act)) of the Fund or of the
Adviser. Mr. Hu is considered to be an interested person
because he is the President of the Fund. Mr. Pickerell and
Ms. Louie are considered to be interested persons because
of their affiliations with the Adviser. |
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There is one Portfolio in the Fund Complex overseen by the
Directors. |
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The Funds Board of Directors has a separately designated
Audit Committee established in accordance with
Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the Exchange Act) which is responsible
for reviewing financial and accounting matters. The Funds
Audit Committee is composed of directors who are independent (as
defined in the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (NYSE)
listing standards, as may be modified or supplemented) and not
interested persons of the Fund and its actions are governed by
the Funds Audit Committee Charter, attached hereto as
Appendix A. The current members of the Audit Committee are
Messrs. Canavan, Rogers, Lo and Wang. The Audit Committee
convened four times during the fiscal year ended August 31,
2006.
The Funds Board of Directors has a Nominating Committee
which is responsible for recommending individuals to the Board
for nomination as members of the Board and its Committees. The
Nominating Committee does not consider nominees recommended by
the security holders. The Board believes that it is appropriate
for the Fund to not have such a policy because the Committee has
not previously received any director candidate recommendations
from a
non-director
stockholder. The Funds Nominating Committee is composed of
directors who are not interested persons of the Fund (as defined
in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act), and independent (as
defined in the NYSE listing standards), and its actions are
governed by the Funds Nominating Committee Charter which
was filed as an exhibit to the Funds proxy statement dated
December 20, 2004. The current members of the Nominating
Committee are Messrs. Canavan, Chang and Lo. The Nominating
Committee met once during the fiscal year ended August 31,
2006.
Persons recommended by the Funds Nominating Committee as
candidates for nomination as directors are required to possess
such knowledge, experience, skills, expertise and diversity so
as to enhance the Boards ability to manage and direct the
affairs and business of the Fund, including, when applicable, to
enhance the ability of committees of the Board to fulfill their
duties
and/or to
satisfy any independence requirements imposed by law, regulation
or any listing requirements of the NYSE.
The Funds Board of Directors has a Fair Valuation
Committee which is responsible for establishing and monitoring
policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the
Funds assets are valued appropriately, objectively and
timely, reflecting current market conditions. The Funds
Fair Valuation Committee is composed of directors who are not
interested persons of the Fund as well as certain employees of
the Funds Adviser. The current Directors who are members
of the Fair Valuation Committee are Messrs. Canavan, Lo and
Rogers. The Fair Valuation Committee met once during the fiscal
year ended August 31, 2006.
The Funds Board of Directors has an Investment Management
Oversight Committee which is responsible for overseeing and
evaluating the nature and quality of the investment services
provided to the Fund by the Adviser in order to assist the Board
in overseeing the investment services being provided to the Fund
by the Adviser. The current members of the Investment Management
Oversight Committee are
5
Messrs. Chang and Hu and Ms. Liu. The Investment
Management Oversight Committee convened four times during the
fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
The Board of Directors of the Fund held four regular meetings
and one special meeting during the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2006. For the fiscal year ended August 31,
2006, Ms. Liu and Mr. Lo did not attend at least
seventy-five percent of the aggregate number of meetings of the
Board and of any committee on which they served held during the
fiscal year.
For annual or special stockholder meetings, directors may but
are not required to attend the meetings; and for the Funds
last annual stockholder meeting, two Directors attended the
meeting.
Stockholder
Communications
Stockholders may send communications to the Funds Board of
Directors by addressing the communication directly to the Board
(or individual Board members)
and/or
clearly indicating that the communication is for the Board (or
individual Board members). The communication may be sent to
either the Funds office or directly to such Board
member(s) at the address specified for each Director above.
Other stockholder communications received by the Fund not
directly addressed and sent to the Board will be reviewed and
generally responded to by management, and will be forwarded to
the Board only at managements discretion based on the
matters contained therein.
Ownership
of Securities
The following table sets forth information regarding the
ownership of securities in the Fund by directors and nominees
for director as of November 15, 2006.
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Aggregate Dollar Range
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of Equity Securities in
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All Funds Overseen or
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to be Overseen by
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Director or Nominee in
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Name of Director or
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Dollar Range of Equity
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Family of Investment
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Nominee
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Securities in the Fund
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Companies
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Current Directors
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Harvey Chang
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None
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None
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Shao-Yu Wang
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None
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None
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Christina Liu
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None
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None
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Joe O. Rogers
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$50,001-$100,000
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$50,001-$100,000
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M. Christopher
Canavan, Jr.
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$1-$10,000
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$1-$10,000
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Anthony Kai Yiu Lo
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None
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None
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Benny T. Hu
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None
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None
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Blair Pickerell
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None
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None
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The term Family of Investment Companies means two or
more registered investment companies that share the same
investment adviser or principal underwriter and |
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hold themselves out to investors as related companies for the
purposes of investment and investor services. |
No director or nominee for election as director who is not an
interested person of the Fund, or any immediate family member of
such person, owns securities in the Adviser, or a person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under
common control with the Adviser.
Transactions
with and Remuneration of Officers and Directors
The aggregate remuneration, including expenses relating to
attendance at board meetings reimbursed by the Fund, paid in
cash to directors not affiliated with the Adviser was $317,603
during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The Fund
currently pays each director that is not affiliated with the
Adviser an annual fee of $15,000 plus $2,000 for each
directors meeting and committee meeting attended in
person, and $2,000 for each meeting attended by telephone.
The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation from
the Fund paid to each director during the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2006, as well as the total compensation earned
by each director from the Fund and other funds advised by the
Adviser or its affiliates (collectively, the
Fund Complex).
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Pension or
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Retirement
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Total Compensation
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Aggregate
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Benefits Accrued
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Estimated Annual
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From Fund and
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Compensation
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As Part of Fund
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Benefits Upon
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Fund Complex
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Name of Person
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From Fund(1)
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Expenses
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Retirement
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Paid to Directors(2)
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Harvey Chang
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$
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32,125
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$
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32,125
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Shao-Yu Wang
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$
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30,144
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$
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30,144
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Christina Liu
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$
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24,125
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$
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24,125
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Joe O. Rogers
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$
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37,500
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$
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37,500
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M. Christopher Canavan, Jr.
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$
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41,500
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|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
41,500
|
|
Anthony Kai Yiu Lo
|
|
$
|
31,544
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|
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|
$
|
31,544
|
|
Benny T. Hu
|
|
$
|
23,500
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
23,500
|
|
Lawrence Weber(3)
|
|
$
|
6,500
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|
|
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
$
|
6,500
|
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Blair Pickerell
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(1) |
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Includes all compensation paid to directors by the Fund. The
Funds directors do not receive any pension or retirement
benefits as compensation for their service as directors of the
Fund. |
|
(2) |
|
There is one fund in the Fund Complex. |
|
(3) |
|
Mr. Weber retired from the Board at the conclusion of his
term of office on January 19, 2006. |
Required
Vote
The election of each director will require the affirmative vote
of a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or
represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled
7
to vote for the election of the directors. For this purpose,
votes that are withheld will have no effect on the outcome of
the elections.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FUND RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE
FOR THE ELECTION OF THE EIGHT NOMINEES FOR DIRECTORS.
Audit
Committee Report
The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the Funds
audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2006 with management, the Adviser and KPMG LLP,
the Funds independent registered public accounting firm
(KPMG), and has discussed with KPMG the matters
required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards
No. 61 (Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards,
AU Section 380), as may be modified or supplemented. The
Audit Committee has received the written disclosures and letter
from KPMG required by Independence Standards Board Standard
No. 1 (Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1,
Independence Discussions with Audit Committees), as may be
modified or supplemented, and has discussed with KPMG its
independence. Based on the Audit Committee review and
discussions referred to in the two preceding sentences, the
Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the
audited financial statements of the Fund for the fiscal year
ended August 31, 2006 be included in its annual report to
stockholders and the Funds annual report filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Joe Rogers, Chairman of the Audit Committee
M. Christopher Canavan, Jr., Member of the Audit
Committee
Anthony Lo, Member of the Audit Committee
Shao-Yu Wang, Member of the Audit Committee
Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm
KPMG serves as the Funds independent registered public
accounting firm, auditing and reporting on the annual financial
statements of the Fund and reviewing certain regulatory reports
and the Funds federal income tax returns. KPMG also
performs other professional audit and certain allowable
non-audit services, including tax services, when the Fund
engages it to do so. Representatives of KPMG are expected to be
available via telephone at the meeting and will have an
opportunity to make a statement if they desire. Such
representatives are expected to be available to respond to
appropriate questions at the meeting.
Audit Fees. The aggregate fees billed by KPMG
in connection with the annual audits of the Fund for the fiscal
years ended August 31, 2006 and 2005 were $58,500 and
$51,000, respectively.
Audit-Related Fees. The aggregate fees billed
by KPMG for audit-related services in the amount of $7,500 for
the year ended August 31, 2006 were related to the
performance of the audit or review of the Funds financial
statements and are not reported under the section Audit
Fees above. The aggregate fees billed by KPMG for
8
audit-related services in the amount of $6,500 for the year
ended August 31, 2005 were related to the performance of
the audit or review of the Funds financial statements and
are not reported under the section Audit Fees above.
Tax Fees. The aggregate fees billed by KPMG
for professional services rendered by KPMG for tax compliance,
tax advice and tax planning (consisting of a review of the
Funds income tax returns and tax distribution
requirements) for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2006
and 2005 were $12,900 and $11,250, respectively.
All Other Fees. There were no other fees
billed by KPMG for services rendered to the Fund for the fiscal
years ended August 31, 2006 and 2005.
Audit Committee Pre-approval. The Audit
Committees policy is to pre-approve all auditing and
non-auditing services to be provided to the Fund by the
Funds independent registered public accounting firm. All
of the audit and the tax services described above for which KPMG
billed the Fund fees for the fiscal years ended August 31,
2006 and 2005 were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
KPMG did not bill any non-audit fees for services rendered to
the Funds Adviser, or any entity controlling, controlled
by, or under the common control with the Adviser that provides
ongoing services to the Fund, for the fiscal years ended
August 31, 2006 and 2005.
Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
Set forth below is information with respect to persons who, to
the knowledge of the management of the Fund, owned beneficially
more than 5% of the Funds outstanding shares as of
November 15, 2006. The information is based on publicly
available Schedule 13D and 13G disclosures filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Name and Address of
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Amount and Nature of
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Percent
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Title of Class
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Beneficial Owner
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Beneficial Ownership
|
|
of Class*
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Common Stock
|
|
City of London Investment
Management
10 Eastcheap
London
EN EC3M 1LX, England
|
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Has sole power to vote and
dispose of 1,772,000 shares.
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|
10.83%
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Common Stock
|
|
Sarasin Investment Fonds AG
50, avenue J.F. Kennedy
L-1855 Luxembourg,
Luxembourg
|
|
Has sole power to vote and
dispose of 1,667,000 shares.
|
|
10.18%
|
Common Stock
|
|
Lazard Asset Management LLC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112
|
|
Has sole power to vote and
dispose of 1,051,000 shares.
|
|
6.42%
|
|
|
|
* |
|
Percentages are based on the number of outstanding shares of the
Fund as of November 15, 2006. |
Section 16(a)
Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires that the
Funds officers and directors, and beneficial owners of
more than 10% of any class of equity security registered
pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, make certain
filings on a timely basis under
9
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act. Based solely on a review
of copies of such reports of ownership furnished to the Fund,
the Fund believes that during the past fiscal year all of its
officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial holders
complied with all applicable filing requirements.
Miscellaneous
Proxies will be solicited by mail and may be solicited in person
or by telephone or telegraph by officers of the Fund or
personnel of the Adviser. The Fund has retained Georgeson
Shareholder Communications Inc. to assist in the proxy
solicitation. The cost of their services is estimated at $1,100,
plus
out-of-pocket
expenses. The expenses connected with the solicitation of these
proxies and with any further proxies which may be solicited by
the Funds officers or Georgeson Shareholder Communications
Inc. in person, by telephone, by facsimile, or by telegraph will
be borne by the Fund. The Fund will reimburse banks, brokers,
and other persons holding the Funds shares registered in
their names or in the names of their nominees for their expenses
incurred in sending proxy material to and obtaining proxies from
the beneficial owners of such shares.
No business other than as set forth herein is expected to come
before the meeting, but should any other matter requiring a vote
of stockholders arise, the persons named in the enclosed proxy
will vote thereon according to their best judgment in the
interests of the Fund.
Stockholder
Proposals
In order to submit a stockholder proposal to be considered for
inclusion in the Funds proxy statement for the Funds
2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, stockholder proposals must
be received by the Fund (addressed to The Taiwan Fund Inc.,
c/o State
Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O. Box 5049, 2 Avenue de
Lafayette, 6th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts
02206-5049)
not later than August 16, 2007. Any stockholder who desires
to bring a proposal at the Funds 2008 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders without including such proposal in the Funds
proxy statement, must deliver written notice thereof to the
Secretary of the Fund (addressed to The Taiwan Fund, Inc.,
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O.
Box 5049, 2 Avenue de Lafayette,
6th Floor,
Boston, Massachusetts
02206-5049),
not before October 23, 2007 and not later than
November 22, 2007.
By order of the Board of Directors,
Adelina Louie
Secretary
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
2 Avenue de Lafayette,
6th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts
02206-5049
December 11, 2006
10
Appendix A
[Adopted 10/20/03]
The
Taiwan Fund, Inc.
(the Fund)
AMENDED
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
|
|
I.
|
Composition
of the Audit Committee
|
The Audit Committee shall be composed of at least three
Directors:
(a) each of whom shall not be an interested
person of the Fund, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or an
affiliated person of the Fund, as described in
Section 10A(m) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the 1934 Act);
(b) each of whom shall not accept any consulting, advisory,
or other compensatory fee from the Fund (other than fees for
serving on the Board of Directors or any committee thereof) or
have any other relationship to the Fund that may interfere with
the exercise of such persons independence from the Fund
and Fund management;
(c) each of whom shall otherwise satisfy the applicable
independence requirements for any stock exchange or market
quotation system on which Fund shares are listed or quoted;
(d) each of whom shall be financially literate, as such
qualification is interpreted by the Board of Directors in its
business judgment, or shall become financially literate within a
reasonable period of time after his or her appointment to the
Audit Committee; and
(e) at least one of whom shall have accounting or related
financial management expertise as the Board of Directors
interprets such qualification in its business judgment.
The Audit Committee shall determine whether at least one member
of the Audit Committee is a financial expert as
defined in rules promulgated by the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (the SEC) under the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and shall consider whether any member
thereof serves on the audit committee of any other public
companies.
|
|
II.
|
Purposes
of the Audit Committee
|
The Audit Committee, in its capacity as a committee of the Board
of Directors, is directly responsible for the appointment,
compensation, retention and oversight of the Funds
independent accountants, including the resolution of
disagreements regarding financial reporting between Fund
management and such independent accountants. The Audit Committee
should report regularly to the Board of Directors with respect
to the matters described in Section III of this Audit
Committee Charter. The Funds independent accountants are
required to report directly to the Audit Committee.
11
|
|
III.
|
Responsibilities
and Duties of the Audit Committee
|
The policies and procedures of the Audit Committee shall remain
flexible to facilitate its ability to react to changing
conditions and to generally discharge its functions. The
following listed responsibilities describe areas of attention in
broad terms.
To carry out its purposes, the Audit Committee shall have the
following responsibilities and duties:
(a) upon submission of an application form by the
Funds independent accountants to the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board, to request information which would
be material to the Audit Committee regarding: (i) such
application form; (ii) any material amendments to such
application form; and (iii) the written findings of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in connection with
that Boards inspection of the Funds independent
accountants;
(b) to preapprove all auditing services to be provided to
the Fund by the Funds independent accountants*;
(c) to pre-approve all non-auditing services, including tax
services, to be provided to the Fund by the Funds
independent accountants; provided, however, that the preapproval
requirement with respect to the provision of non-auditing
services to the Fund by the Funds independent accountants
may be waived by the Audit Committee under the circumstances
described in the 1934 Act**;
(d) to ensure that the Funds independent accountants
submit on a periodic basis to the Audit Committee a formal
written statement delineating all relationships between such
independent accountants and the Fund, consistent with
Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, to actively
engage in a dialogue with the Funds independent
accountants with respect to any disclosed relationships or
services that may affect the objectivity and independence of
such independent accountants, including relationships with or
services provided to the Funds other service providers,
and, if deemed appropriate by the Audit Committee, to recommend
that the Board of Directors take appropriate action in response
to the report of such independent accountants to satisfy itself
of the independence of such independent accountants;
* The Audit Committee may
delegate to one or more designated members of the Audit
Committee the authority to grant such preapprovals; provided,
however, that the Audit Committee shall not delegate preapproval
of the audit required by the 1934 Act. The decisions of any
member or members of the Audit Committee to whom such authority
has been given shall be reported to the full Audit Committee at
each of its scheduled meetings.
** The Audit Committee may
delegate to one or more designated members of the Audit
Committee the authority to grant such preapprovals. The
decisions of any member or members of the Audit Committee to
whom such authority has been given shall be reported to the full
Audit Committee at each of its scheduled meetings.
12
(e) to receive and consider specific representations from
the Funds independent accountants with respect to the
independence of such accountants, audit partner rotation, and
conflicts of interest described in Section 10A(l) of the
1934 Act, and to consider whether the provision of any
non-audit services to the Fund by the Funds independent
accountants as described in Section III(c) of this Audit
Committee Charter is compatible with maintaining the
independence of those accountants;
(f) to review arrangements for annual and special audits
and the scope of such audits with the Funds independent
accountants;
(g) to review and discuss the Funds audited financial
statements with Fund management;
(h) to discuss with the independent accountants those
matters required by Statement of Accounting Standards Nos. 61
and 90 relating to the Funds financial statements,
including, without limitation, any adjustment to such financial
statements recommended by such independent accountants, or any
other results of any audit;
(i) to cause to be prepared and to review and submit any
report, including any recommendation of the Audit Committee,
required by SEC Rules to be included in the Funds annual
proxy statement;
(j) to review legal and regulatory matters presented by
counsel and the Funds independent accountants that may
have a material impact on the Funds financial statements;
(k) to establish and administer policies and procedures
relating to: (i) the hiring of employees or former
employees of the Funds independent accountants; and
(ii) the resolution of any disagreements between Fund
management and the Funds independent accountants regarding
accounting
and/or
financial reporting policies and procedures;
(l) to consider with the Funds independent
accountants their comments with respect to the quality and
adequacy of the Funds accounting and financial reporting
policies, practices and internal controls and managements
responses thereto, including, without limitation, the effect on
the Fund of any recommendation of changes in accounting
principles or practices by management or the independent
accountants;
(m) to receive and consider reports from the Funds
independent accountants regarding: (i) all critical
accounting policies and practices to be used; (ii) all
alternative treatments of financial information within generally
accepted accounting principles that have been discussed with
Fund management, ramifications of the use of such alternative
disclosures and treatments, and the treatment preferred by the
independent accountants; and (iii) other material written
communications between the independent accountants and Fund
management, such as any management letter or schedule of
unadjusted differences;
(n) to receive reports from the principal executive officer
and the principal financial officer, or persons performing
similar functions, regarding: (i) all significant
deficiencies in the design or operation of Fund internal
controls that could adversely
13
affect the Funds ability to record, process, summarize,
and report financial data and have identified for the
Funds independent accountants any material weaknesses in
internal controls; (ii) any fraud, whether or not material,
that involves Fund management or other employees who have a
significant role in the Funds internal controls; and
(iii) whether or not there were significant changes in the
Funds internal controls or in other factors that could
significantly affect the Funds internal controls
subsequent to the date of their evaluation, including any
corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and
material weaknesses;
(o) to establish procedures for: (i) the receipt,
retention, and treatment of complaints received by the Fund
regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing
matters; and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission of
concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters;
(p) to discuss with Fund management and the Funds
independent auditors policies with respect to risk assessment
and risk management and the quality and adequacy of the
Funds internal controls and processes that could
materially affect the Funds financial statements and
financial reporting;
(q) to assist the Fund, if necessary, in preparing any
written affirmation or written certification required to be
filed with any stock exchange on which Fund shares are listed;
(r) to at least annually, obtain and review a report by the
independent auditor describing: the firms internal
quality-control procedures; any material issues raised by the
most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review (if
any peer review is conducted), of the firm, or by inquiry or
investigation by governmental or professional authorities,
within the preceding 5 years, respecting one or more
independent audits carried out by the firm, and any steps taken
to deal with any such issue; and (to assess the auditors
independence) all relationships between the independent auditor
and the Fund;
(s) to review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter on
an annual basis and recommend any changes to the Board of
Directors; and
(t) to perform such other functions consistent with this
Audit Committee Charter, the Funds Certificate of
Incorporation, the Funds By-laws, and applicable law, as
the Audit Committee or the Board of Directors deems necessary or
appropriate.
In fulfilling their responsibilities under this Audit Committee
Charter, it is recognized that members of the Audit Committee
are not full-time employees of the Fund. As such, it is not the
duty or responsibility of the Audit Committee or its members to
conduct field work or other types of auditing or
accounting reviews or procedures. Each member of the Audit
Committee shall be entitled to rely on (i) the integrity of
those persons and organizations inside and outside the Fund from
which the Audit Committee receives information and (ii) the
accuracy of the financial and other information provided to the
Audit Committee by such persons or organizations, absent actual
knowledge to the contrary (which actual knowledge shall be
promptly reported to the Board of Directors).
14
Fund management is responsible for maintaining appropriate
systems for accounting. The Funds independent accountants
are responsible for conducting a proper audit of the Funds
financial statements and are ultimately accountable to the Audit
Committee. The Audit Committee has the ultimate authority and
responsibility to select (subject, if applicable, to shareholder
approval) and evaluate the Funds independent accountants,
to determine the compensation of the Funds independent
accountants and, where appropriate, to replace the Funds
independent accountants.
The Audit Committee shall meet regularly with the Funds
independent accountants (outside the presence of Fund
management) and at least once annually with the representatives
of Fund management responsible for the financial and accounting
operations of the Fund. The Audit Committee shall hold special
meetings at such limes as the Audit Committee believes
appropriate. Members of the Audit Committee may participate in a
meeting of the Audit Committee by means of conference call or
similar communications equipment by means of which all persons
participating in such meeting can hear each other.
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V.
|
Assistance
from Fund Management; Authority to Engage Advisers;
Funding
|
The appropriate officers of the Fund shall provide or arrange to
provide such information, data and services as the Audit
Committee may request. The Audit Committee shall have the power
and authority to take all action it believes necessary or
appropriate to discharge its responsibilities, including the
power and authority to retain independent counsel and other
advisers. The Fund shall provide for appropriate funding, as
determined by the Audit Committee as a committee of the Board of
Directors, for payment of compensation to: (i) the
Funds independent accountants and (ii) any advisers
employed by the Audit Committee under this Section V.
15
THE TAIWAN FUND, INC.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS JANUARY 22, 2007
The undersigned hereby appoints Joe O. Rogers, Adelina Louie and Mary Moran Zeven, and each of
them, the proxies of the undersigned, with full power of substitution to each of them, to vote all
shares of The Taiwan Fund, Inc. which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of The Taiwan Fund, Inc. to be held at the offices of HSBC Investments (Hong Kong)
Limited, HSBC Main Building, Level 22, 1 Queens Road, Central, Hong Kong, on Monday, January 22,
2007 at 2:00 p.m., local time, and at any adjournments thereof, unless otherwise specified in the
boxes provided on the reverse side hereof, for the election of the directors named on the reverse
side and in their discretion, on any other business which may properly come before the meeting or
any adjournments thereof. The undersigned hereby revokes all proxies with respect to such shares
heretofore given. The undersigned acknowledges receipt of the Proxy Statement dated December 11,
2006.
PLEASE VOTE, DATE AND SIGN ON OTHER SIDE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
Please
sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s). When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, trustee
or guardian, please give your full title as such.
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HAS YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED?
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DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? |
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FRONT OF PROXY CARD
THE TAIWAN FUND, INC.
C/O COMPUTERSHARE
P.O. BOX 8694
EDISON, NJ 08818-8694
þ Please mark your votes as in this example.
1. The election of the following persons to serve as directors of the Taiwan Fund, Inc. for the
next year or until their successors are elected and qualified.
Nominees: (01) Shao-Yu Wang., (02) Benny T. Hu, (03) Harvey Chang, (04) Christina Liu, (05) Joe
O. Rogers, (06) Blair Pickerell, (07) M. Christopher
Canavan, Jr. and (08) Anthony Kai Yiu Lo
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FOR o
ALL
NOMINEES
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o
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WITHHELD
FROM ALL
NOMINEES |
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o For all nominees except as noted above |
Mark box at right if an address change or comment o
has been noted on the reverse side of this card.
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Please be sure to sign and date this Proxy.
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Date: |
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Stockholder sign here |
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Co-owner sign here |
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RECORD DATE SHARES: |
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BACK OF CARD