The Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday said it would evaluate the potential impact on Taiwan’s economy of a free-trade agreement between China and Australia after studying the terms of the pact.
Minister of Economic Affairs Woody Duh (杜紫軍) said potential effects have not been evaluated because the new pact does not directly affect Taiwan’s exports, as China’s deal with South Korea does.
“We will assess the influence after China and Australia announce the details of the pact,” Duh said on the sidelines of the an Economics Committee meeting at the legislature in Taipei.
Duh said that there is no significant progress on formal free-trade talks with Australia. He said he discussed the issue with Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb at the APEC summit in Beijing two weeks ago, without deciding when to have formal talks.
“The ministry has been in contact with the Australian government over the issue, but it is not the time to sit down to a have formal talks yet,” Duh said.
“The Australian government previously said it was working on talkss with China; perhaps after settling the pact, they will have the time to discuss free-trade talks with Taiwan,” he added.
When asked by legislators if China would interfere with trade talks between Taiwan and Australia, Duh said that as far as he knows, there is no information suggesting that it would.
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