"The banking sector in Taiwan is quite weak, " says John Caparusso of Salomon Smith Barney in Taipei.

CNN: Taiwan's Ticking Clock

"If Hong Kong or Singapore banking rules were applied, non-performing loans in Taiwan banks would be closer to 15%, " says one banking analyst in Taipei.

CNN: Taiwan's Ticking Clock

The Singaporean analyst is also banking on a rebound in global electronics, a key industry for Taiwan, Korea, and most of ASEAN.

CNN: THE LONG, HARD CLIMB BACK UP