A Green Trade Project Office was established yesterday as part of the government’s effort to promote the country’s “green” products and improve its image in the global green trade sector, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.
The office will start a three-year project this year that will focus on industrial counseling, employee training and trade with other countries, Bureau of Foreign Trade Director-General Bill Cho (卓士昭) said.
“The natural disasters that occurred recently, including the powerful earthquake in Japan, have reminded us of the importance of dealing with the global greenhouse effect and reducing carbon emissions, as well as fostering green growth in Taiwan,” Cho said at a ceremony marking the establishment of the green trade office.
20 PERCENT GROWTH
The bureau is aiming for 20 percent year-on-year growth in exports of green products this year, higher than the 10 percent forecast for overall exports, Cho said.
The nation’s total exports reached a record US$526 billion last year, he said.
In 2009, Taiwan’s green product exports reached US$11.8 billion, accounting for 5.8 percent of the country’s total exports and taking up 5 percent of the global green product market, the bureau said.
China was the main destination for Taiwanese green products, absorbing US$3.42 billion, followed by the EU (US$2.26 billion), the US (US$2.25 billion), Japan (US$450 million) and Hong Kong (US$300 million), the bureau said.
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