Keelung Harbor, the nation's first free trade port, will begin operations today after a year of preparation, the Cabinet announced yesterday.
Five companies have expressed interest in operating in the designated zone, while 11 other firms have expressed interest in operating in Kaohsiung Harbor and 10 in Taichung Harbor, Cabinet Spokesman Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said.
Kaohsiung Harbor is scheduled to launch operations on Jan. 1. Taichung Harbor passed a preliminary review on Aug. 31, and is pending further review and final approval by the Cabinet.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is conducting a preliminary review of the application filed by Taipei Harbor on Oct. 15 last year. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, meanwhile, is assessing export processing zones that wish to transform into free-trade-port zones.
Other areas expressing interest in establishing a free trade port include Taoyuan County, Tainan County, Tainan City and Kaohsiung City.
Once all the free trade ports are up and running, Chen said the Cabinet hopes to see more than 1,000 companies operating in the zones and estimated increased investment of NT$67.8 billion, with output value rising by NT$162.5 billion and 30,000 new jobs being created.
Chen made the remarks yesterday afternoon after Premier Yu Shyi-kun listened to briefings on the progress of the nation's free trade ports and technology-based investment by Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh (何美玥), Minister of Finance Lin Chuan (林全) and Vice Chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development Thomas Yeh (
Keelung Harbor was granted free trade status by the Cabinet in March, following the passage of the Statute Governing the Establishment and Management of Free Trade Ports (
Within the zone, a wide range of businesses are permitted, including consolidation of cargo, minor assembly, repacking, warehousing, packaging, logistics and other value-added services that are free of customs, commodity tax, business tax, port dues and wine and tobacco tax.
Under the Keelung Harbor Bureau's plan, about 63 hectares of land will be turned into a free trade zone, encompassing Dock 11 to Dock 33 on the west bank, and Dock 6 to Dock 22 on the east bank.
The bureau estimates that the free trade port will bring in over NT$94 million, create 2,100 jobs and have an annual output value of NT$600 million for the companies involved.
The free-port legislation also mandates that the number of domestic workers employed by a company in these designated zones reach 60 percent of total employees.
Yu yesterday requested that government agencies map out concrete qualification criteria for domestic and foreign workers within a month.
Yu also ordered the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economic Affairs to study the possibility of allowing companies in the zones to file customs clearances on a monthly basis rather than a daily basis in a bid to encourage export processing zones to transform into free trade port zones.
The free trade zones will offer companies exemptions from import tariffs and commodity and business taxes, as well as simpler rules for the entry and employment of foreign personnel.
RSS