The American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (AmCham) yesterday called for the government to extend the lifespans of the nation’s three operating nuclear power plants amid concern over the sufficiency of the nation’s energy supply.
“Without adequate clarity about the future availability of energy resources, industry will be reluctant to enter into new investment projects, with unfortunate consequences for economic growth and job creation,” AmCham said as it released its latest annual white paper.
The group’s concern comes as the government has halted work on the long-delayed Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮) in the face of escalating opposition by anti-nuclear campaigners.
Photo: CNA
No ideal solution exists to Taiwan’s energy challenge, AmCham said, adding that renewable sources can never account for a major portion of Taiwan’s energy mix, given that nuclear energy currently accounts for 19 percent of its power generation.
The chamber said that the government should extend the life of the three existing nuclear plants, or “at least leave the option open for the next government to decide.”
With Taiwan likely to replace nuclear power with electricity generated from liquefied natural gas (LNG), AmCham suggested that Taiwan shift its LNG procurement to the spot market instead of using long-term contracts that would deprive the country of any flexibility in procurements over the next two or three decades.
The white paper praised the government’s efforts to address the concerns of foreign companies operating in this nation, adding that six of the 103 suggestions raised by last year’s paper — in the areas of capital markets, intellectual property, manufacturing, medical devices, tax and telecommunications — have been resolved, while another 21 are “showing satisfactory progress.”
“The significant headway achieved on so many issues across such a large number of industries and functions is a highly encouraging sign that Taiwan is serious about liberalizing its trade regime and embracing global regulatory practices,” the paper says.
However, it said healthcare, consumption protection and human resources are three areas where the government needs to make more of an effort to promote the interests of international business.
The extremely low prices given to pharmaceuticals and medical devices under the National Health Insurance system discourages multinational companies from introducing new, innovative products in this market, the chamber said.
Extreme efforts to safeguard consumer rights create unnecessary barriers to doing business in Taiwan without necessarily bringing any real benefit to consumers, it said.
It also said greater flexibility should be considered in the drafting of a dispatch labor protection bill to avoid hindering employers’ ability to manage their personnel needs, the chamber said.
President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) commitment to economic reform and trade liberalization will help Taiwan inject new vigor into the domestic economy, enhance its competitiveness as a place for doing business and also prepare for its participation in key multinational trade bodies, such as the nascent Trans-Pacific Partnership, the white paper said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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