In the past, friendship, mutual trust and reliability have been important factors in creating the solid base for the successful relations between Austria and Taiwan. Despite all the new difficulties our world is facing these days, these factors are also the cause for my optimism for the future.
The Austrian Trade Delegation in Taipei, led by a career Trade Delegate, was established as early as 1980. Today we can look back on a long history of successful cooperation between Austria and Taiwan. Our exchanges manifest themselves in many different fields -- in import and export; licensing and technology transfers; Vienna as first foreign destination of EVA Airways 10 years ago; a skyrocketing tourism boom in the last decade; growing bilateral foreign investment; an untold number of cultural exchange activities; Taiwanese students of music, law, hospitality services and other fields in Austria; bilateral visits of parliamentarians and politicians ... the list goes on.
PHOTO: AUSTRIAN TRADE DELEGATION TAIPEI
Today, Taiwan is Austria's most important export market in East Asia on a per-capita basis, and Austria with her 8 million inhabitants buys more Taiwanese goods than all Central and Eastern Europe combined!
More than two thirds of Austria's exports to Taiwan are in the high tech field. You will hardly find any wafer fab, steel mill, plastic factory or textile mill without Austrian machinery and technology. Commuters using Taipei's MRT ride on Austrian trains -- and soon the Kaohsiung MRT will be equipped with Austrian trains as well, as the contract has recently been awarded to Austrian SGP-Siemens in Vienna and Graz. Digital radio (DAB) as well as wafer manufacturing equipment "Made in Austria" are amongst our most popular export items to Taiwan. There are few tunnels on the island which have not had at least some technical input by an Austrian engineer, and many of Taiwan's modern bridges have been planned and designed in Austria.
Austrian consumer goods are very successful in Taiwan, with famous brand names like Swarovski and Lencia crystal, M. Frey jewelry, Helmut Lang, Giesswein, Geiger and Schneiders fashion, Wolford lingerie, Carrera, Porsche Design and Silhouette eyeglasses, to name but a few. Our superb wines, chocolates and health food items are also to be found on many Taiwanese shelves.
Some 50,000 Taiwanese visitors to Austria each year bear witness to Austria's single most important industry: tourism. Besides being able to offer excellently preserved historic sights, friendly hosts and high-quality naturally grown food products and beverages, one basic ingredient for customer satisfaction is a clean and healthy environment.
For decades, Austria has been enforcing what are probably the most stringent environmental standards in all of Europe. As a result, practically all of our numerous lakes in pristine Alpine surroundings now have drinking water quality!
Environment related technologies and know-how have become important assets and a main export commodity. In Taiwan, Austrian companies successfully participated in a number of environmental projects, particularly in the areas of water and air quality and recycling technology.
Trade and economic relations cannot be a one-way street. We at the Austrian Trade Delegation work actively to promote bilateral activities. Unlike other offices, the Austrian Trade Delegation is not a mere export promotion agency: whatever the need for enhancing our bilateral ties, we are ready to assist Austrians and Taiwanese alike.
For importers and exporters as well as the tourism industry, the Austrian Trade Delegation in Taipei is a one-stop shop for information and assistance in dealing with Austria -- and through Austria with many other European countries. Our capital Vienna is the ideal hub for travel to any European destination.
When going to Europe, spend some time in Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck or any other of our beautiful cities and towns -- and combine business with pleasure in Austria. The Travel Section of the Austrian Trade Delegation can assist you most efficiently and in record time with your travel needs, including issuance of Schengen visas.
Further information on Austria in English, Chinese, Japanese and German can be found on our website:
http://www.austria.org.tw/ -- established back in 1995, this award-winning online resource was the first web site of a foreign representative office in Taiwan, and still attracts hundreds of visitors a month!
Welcome to Austria!
Austrian Trade Delegation is located at 608, No. 205 Tunhwa North Road, Taipei, Tel 02-2715-5220, Fax 02-2717-3242.
For further information, email to:
http://www.austria.org.tw/
Trade and General Affairs --
ahst.taipei@austria.org.tw
Travel Industry --
tourism@austria.org.tw
Investment services --
aba@austria.org.tw
To apply for a visa to Austria, contact, Austrian Trade Delegation -- Travel Section, 5F0, 164 Fuhsing N. Road, Taipei, Tel 02-2712-8597/8, Fax 02-2514-9980.
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