New Zealand's prime minister said yesterday she would sign a groundbreaking free trade agreement with China on April 7 at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
The deal -- which will give New Zealand access to the world's fastest-growing economy -- is expected to boost exports to China by up to NZ$400 million (US$318 million) a year.
"This is a significant event for both New Zealand and China," New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said, adding that details of the agreement would be released publicly after the signing ceremony.
farm output
Previously Clark said the trade pact would cut tariff barriers for New Zealand farm exports to China. Farm output makes up half of New Zealand's annual economic production.
Beyond trade in goods, the agreement is also expected to cover the services sector, from insurance and banking to education and labor supply.
China has already sought New Zealand's permission for specialist workers, including chefs and Chinese language teachers, to work in New Zealand. New Zealand has said it will study the proposal closely.
two-way trade
Two-way trade between China and New Zealand is currently worth more than NZ$4.8 billion a year, with Chinese exports making up about 80 percent.
After the pact is signed, it will have to be formally ratified in New Zealand's parliament.
Clark will be one of the first Western leaders to meet with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) since rioting began in Tibet, and she has said that she will raise the issue in formal talks.
New Zealand has urged China to engage in meaningful dialogue with representatives of the Tibetan people as the best way to achieve a lasting resolution to problems in Tibet.
MORE VISITORS: The Tourism Administration said that it is seeing positive prospects in its efforts to expand the tourism market in North America and Europe Taiwan has been ranked as the cheapest place in the world to travel to this year, based on a list recommended by NerdWallet. The San Francisco-based personal finance company said that Taiwan topped the list of 16 nations it chose for budget travelers because US tourists do not need visas and travelers can easily have a good meal for less than US$10. A bus ride in Taipei costs just under US$0.50, while subway rides start at US$0.60, the firm said, adding that public transportation in Taiwan is easy to navigate. The firm also called Taiwan a “food lover’s paradise,” citing inexpensive breakfast stalls
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
CROSS-STRAIT: The vast majority of Taiwanese support maintaining the ‘status quo,’ while concern is rising about Beijing’s influence operations More than eight out of 10 Taiwanese reject Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework for cross-strait relations, according to a survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday. The MAC’s latest quarterly survey found that 84.4 percent of respondents opposed Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula for handling cross-strait relations — a figure consistent with past polling. Over the past three years, opposition to the framework has remained high, ranging from a low of 83.6 percent in April 2023 to a peak of 89.6 percent in April last year. In the most recent poll, 82.5 percent also rejected China’s
PLUGGING HOLES: The amendments would bring the legislation in line with systems found in other countries such as Japan and the US, Legislator Chen Kuan-ting said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) has proposed amending national security legislation amid a spate of espionage cases. Potential gaps in security vetting procedures for personnel with access to sensitive information prompted him to propose the amendments, which would introduce changes to Article 14 of the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法), Chen said yesterday. The proposal, which aims to enhance interagency vetting procedures and reduce the risk of classified information leaks, would establish a comprehensive security clearance system in Taiwan, he said. The amendment would require character and loyalty checks for civil servants and intelligence personnel prior to