In the first half of 1994, the ROC's exports grew by only 3.5 %. This figure pales in comparison to the double-digit growth experienced by other Asia-Pacific countries. Both domestic and overseas investment was stagnant, bringing up the rear among Asian countries, earning Taiwan the appellation "foreign investment orphan."
九四年上半年，中華民國的出口成長率只有三．五％，在亞太其他國家兩位數字的耀眼成績比照下，顯得黯然失色；同時國內外投資低迷，在亞太區也敬陪末座，台灣也被稱為「外資孤島」。