Taiwan's economic development may hinge on WTO entry and growing business-to-business e-commerce in 2000, said Wang Chih-kang (
"Most WTO-membership countries showed political good will in supporting our entry into the WTO slated for the middle of next year," Wang said.
In light of the fact that the WTO is an international organization promoting free trade and economic liberalization, he added that, "Our trade with China will become more active. To prepare for [WTO] entry, the current restrictions barring direct imports from China will be gradually abolished."
According to data from the Board of Foreign Trade (
"We have been conducting WTO-specific evaluations," said Chen Ruey-long (
"We will first allow direct imports that will have a minimal effect on Taiwan's industries."
According to ministry official Alice Fan (
Traditional industries will also face fierce competition. "We will encourage companies within traditional industries to consolidate or merge if it would be beneficial for them [to do so]," Wang said.
"However, mergers are a business matter, and the government cannot enforce such a policy."
But, the government will provide supportive measures.
"The new version of the `Statute for Upgrading Industries' (
The new version of the statute will allow a holiday on land tax for merged companies.
"The Industrial Bureau plans to invest NT$2.26 billion to encourage the private sector to conduct innovative research," Wang said.
"Furthermore, the Executive Yuan will introduce policies to encourage industries to utilize automation and computers."
Taiwan Transport and Storage Corp (TTS, 台灣通運倉儲) yesterday unveiled its first electric tractor unit — manufactured by Volvo Trucks — in a ceremony in Taipei, and said the unit would soon be used to transport cement produced by Taiwan Cement Corp (TCC, 台灣水泥). Both TTS and TCC belong to TCC International Holdings Ltd (台泥國際集團). With the electric tractor unit, the Taipei-based cement firm would become the first in Taiwan to use electric vehicles to transport construction materials. TTS chairman Koo Kung-yi (辜公怡), Volvo Trucks vice president of sales and marketing Johan Selven, TCC president Roman Cheng (程耀輝) and Taikoo Motors Group
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