Euro trade office head finally arrives to take up position

The long-awaited European Econ-omic and Trade Office in Taiwan, the first EU permanent presence in its third largest trading partner in Asia, has opened in Taipei following the arrival of the head of the office on Sunday, sources said.

In a press release issued by the Brussels-based EU, the European Commission (EC), the driving force of the union's institutional system, announced the formal opening of the office.

"The move will strengthen relations between the EU and Taiwan in areas such as trade, investment, economic cooperation, research and education," the press release said.

"The opening of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei confirms the steady development of commercial ties between the European Union and Taiwan," the press release quoted EU External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten as saying.

"The volume of our bilateral trade and investment flows makes Taiwan an important economic partner for the EU. We look forward to the strengthening of this partnership," the English-language statement quoted Patten as saying.

The consensus reached between the EU and Taiwan was for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to release the Mandarin-version of the news release 30 minutes after the formal release of the statement in Brussels, foreign ministry officials said.

The press release also said Brian McDonald has been appointed by the EC as head of the office.

McDonald reached the CKS International Airport around noon on Sunday, said David Lin (林永樂), director-general of the ministry's European affairs, who represented the ministry to greet McDonald at the airport.

The new EU office will be located within the Union Bank Building at 109 Minsheng E Rd Sec. 3 next to the Sherwood Hotel Taipei, sources said.

Currently staying at the Sherwood Hotel, McDonald was not available for comment.

The EU press release said the office would mainly focus on economic and trade relations, cultural and information activities between the two sides.

"In line with the EU's `one China' policy, the office will not be engaged in relations of a diplomatic or political nature," the statement said.

The Taipei Times on Jan. 26 reported on McDonald's appointment as the head of the EU office in Taipei, ending months of speculation among the media over the name of the new representative.

McDonald, an Irishman, currently serves as the principal administrator of the EC Directorate General for Trade after three decades of work with the EC.

McDonald was the first counselor at the EC's office in Hong Kong from 1995 to 1997 and councilor at the EC's delegation to the UN in New York from 1989 to 1995.