Taiwan’s request to sign a trade-enhancement agreement (TEA) with the EU didn’t see much progress in WTO ministerial talks after Swedish trade minister Ewa Bjorling said Taiwan could not be included in the near-term agenda.
Bjorling said the EU has a number of FTA talks pending with ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Taiwan’s request couldn’t be discussed now, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang (施顏祥) told reporters yesterday after concluding his WTO trip.
Shih talked to Bjorling during a meeting at Geneva in the hope of strengthening trade relations between the two sides by signing a TEM or free trade agreement with the EU.
PHOTO: CNA
However, Shih quoted Bjorling as saying Taiwan wouldn’t be included on the agenda for now.
Late in October, European Chamber of Commerce Taipei urged Taiwan to push for TEM negotiations with the EU only after signing the proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, which is expected to be inked in the middle of next year.
TRIPLE WIN
The chamber said the trade pact with China would benefit Taiwan’s economy, local businesses and foreign companies considering Taiwan as a springboard to China, and would boost Taiwan’s economy by 3.8 billion euros (US$5.7 billion).
During yesterday’s press briefing, Shih also said a review meeting on opening Taiwan’s major industries to China — including flat panels, semiconductors and petrochemicals — will be held by the end of the month.
He said authorities have completed reports on the industries and the ministry would hold an intra-ministerial meeting this month to finalize the plans.
Taiwanese companies have repeatedly requested that the government allow them to set up more advanced facilities — such as 12-inch fabs — across the Taiwan Strait.
A number of foreign firms have already gained access in China, and Taiwan risks losing out if the restrictions remain.
Separately, the ministry succeeded in helping local industries sign 43 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with their partners in China, Shih said.
Since last December, the ministry has worked to bridge the divide between Taiwanese and Chinese industries in terms of possible cooperation and standards collaboration to help local firms get a foothold in China’s growing market.
The MOUs include agreements on solar power, automobiles, wind power, precision machinery, light-emitting diodes (LED) and herbal medicine.
ASSOCIATIONS
The MOUs are mostly between cross-strait associations, while benefits for companies in terms of business dollars will be realized after a common standard is finalized between both sides of the Strait, said Wu Ming-ji (吳明機), director-general of the industrial technology department.
Citing LEDs as an example, he said Taiwanese firms could seize the chance to standardize product design and development to gain access to China and other markets.
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