Southeast Asia has long been a favored spot for investors from the ROC The area has had many factors in its favor, including proximity to Taiwan and many overseas Chinese. Initial stakes were small, but grew as labor in Taiwan became expensive and the investment picture there improved as nations competed to attract foreign capital.
「早期國人對外投資地區集中在東南亞」，中央大學管理學院院長薛琦指出：「因為東南亞華人多、離台灣近、容易著手，但大部分投資規模都很小，恰似早年日本來台投資的翻版。」