Trade and tourism between Taiwan and nations targeted by the New Southbound Policy launched by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) have grown considerably, Executive Yuan Office of Trade Negotiations data showed.
From January to August, trade between Taiwan and the 18 countries targeted by the policy rose 5.5 percent from a year earlier to US$77.07 billion, the data showed.
During the period, Taiwan’s exports to the targeted countries rose 3.2 percent annually to US$45.33 billion, while imports rose 9.1 percent to US$31.74 billion.
In the first eight months of this year, nationals of the 18 countries made a total of 1,636,360 visits to Taiwan, up 16.9 percent from a year earlier and accounting for 22.9 percent of total inbound tourists over the period, the data showed.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese made 1,923,742 visits to the targeted nations, up 13.8 percent from a year earlier and accounting for 16.8 percent of all outbound trips, office data showed.
The latest policy handbook published by the office for this year showed that the number of visits by people from the 18 nations was 2,284,000 last year, up by 496,000 visits, or 27.6 percent, from 2016, a person with knowledge of the matter said.
Taiwanese last year made 2,474,000 visits to the targeted nations, up by 240,000 visits, or 10.8 percent, from the year before, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The office plans to continue facilitating “soft” exchanges with the targeted nations by boosting the number of mutual visits to foster a sense of friendliness, familiarity and recognition, the source said.
The handbook also said that the government has named public projects as a potential avenue through which it can further improve relations with the targeted nations, the source added.
The office aims to secure projects with a combined annual budget of at least US$20 billion and would focus on five areas: power plants, the petrochemical industry, intelligent transportation systems, metro systems and environmental protection, they said.
Taiwan last year secured 17 public projects in the targeted nations with a combined bidding price of US$25.2 billion and won 20 projects with a total bidding price of US$25 billion in the first seven months of this year, the source said.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS