Foreign banks operating in Taiwan just posted their strongest first half on record, a sign that global lenders still like Taiwan's economy.

• The 28 foreign bank branches in Taiwan now hold about NT$4.2 trillion in assets, up 8% from a year ago.
• Their combined net worth rose 11%, and first-half pre-tax profit hit the highest level since 2011.
• Bad loans are almost nonexistent at 0.01% of lending, so the growth is coming with clean books.
• Mizuho, Sumitomo Mitsui and ING run the biggest branches, with Asian parent banks making up about half the total.
• Beyond corporate lending and trade finance, these banks are pushing into wealth management as Taiwan tries to become an Asian asset management hub.

Outlook: Regulators expect foreign banks to keep expanding in Taiwan, especially in wealth management for rich clients.