[Reported by Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, Taiwan, China] The Abacus and Mental Mathematics Committee of Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, Taiwan, China held an annual executive committee meeting and a seminar among directors of various exam areas at the meeting room of the Provincial Chamber of Commerce on March 6, adding the interaction and exchange in the field of abacus and discussing the future development direction of abacus. Chiu-Yung Hsiao, Vice Chairman of Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, Taiwan, China and Chairman of the Abacus and Mental Mathematics Committee, chaired the meeting. At the meeting, relevant personnel reported the efforts of the Abacus and Mental Mathematics Committee in promoting abacus skills in 2021 as well as its priorities in 2022, including 4 Abacus & Mental Arithmetic Assessment Tests per year (March 20, May 15, September 18, and December 18), 2 mathematics assessment tests (January 16 and June 19), 2 Cross-Strait Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Communication Competitions (May 22 and November 20), and the World Abacus Day Celebration Conference 2022 as well as the abacus and mental arithmetic competitions and mathematics competitions to be organized in August, where abacus and mental arithmetic groups will be invited.

Chairman Hsiao said in his speech that the abacus teachers really worked hard in the past two years! Though the epidemic had a relatively mild impact in Taiwan, it still directly affected the enrollment and teaching of abacus classes. Some abacus teachers had to teach online, which was more difficult than face-to-face teaching. Affected by the epidemic, the meeting originally scheduled at the end of January has been postponed until now. Fortunately, as the epidemic slows down, we can finally gather together with the predecessors in the field of abacus in this annual seminar. The abacus businesses such as the Abacus & Mental Arithmetic Assessment Tests and the Cross-Strait Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Communication Competitions were organized as usual by the Provincial Chamber of Commerce last year, but were still affected during the worst time of the pandemic. Many exam areas had to cancel or postpone the assessment tests, and the overall number of assessment tests decreased. In terms of external communication, it was possible to have exchange and interactions with local and international abacus groups online via video, but the World Abacus Day Celebration Conference was cancelled due to the restriction on large gatherings. We hope the epidemic turn around this year, the economy and people's livelihood return to normal, and the competitions and celebration be held successfully in August this year.

During the meeting, teachers Cheng-Yen Yang, Hui-Wan Liao and Li Haoqing were specially invited to share the development and teaching modes of abacus and mental arithmetic in the context of epidemic respectively. Last year, Cheng-Yen Yang successfully held an online international abacus forum and competition to introduce the methods and experience in organizing video conferences and online classes. Hui-Wan Liao, who has been promoting Leling Abacus and Mental Arithmetic for the Elderly for many years, shared her study fruits and experience in teaching the brain exercise course for senior citizens at Fo Guang University in Yilan last year. Li Haoqing also shared her teaching methods and practices for the promotion and teaching of abacus and mental arithmetic for children, while the participants discussed and exchanged, benefiting a lot from each other.