Taiwan plays a critical role in the economy of the Asia-Pacific region and should therefore be included in regional cooperation and trade agreements, local and foreign experts said at a symposium yesterday.
“We now live in a totally connected and globally interdependent economic world,” said Kazuo Matsunaga, a former vice minister of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, at the symposium about trilateral economic dialogue between Taiwan, the US and Japan.
“I cannot imagine the [proposed] Free-Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific [FTAAP] without Taiwan as a member, taking into account the current development of industrial cooperation among Taiwan, Japan and the US,” he added.
Taking Apple’s iPhone 5 as an example of collaboration among the three countries, Matsunaga urged the nations to foster stronger trilateral economic ties through economic partnership pacts or free-trade agreements.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chan Kai-chen (詹凱臣) said Taiwan has long played a major role in Asia’s industrial value chain, with its businesses investing heavily throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
However, Taiwan should do more to promote international economic rules, revise domestic laws, develop links with the global community and boost its global competitiveness to fully integrate itself in the regional economy, he said.
“Only through positive interaction can we attain the national economic development and regional stability we are seeking,” he added.
He also urged Taiwan to build a sound financial system and a risk monitoring mechanism, as well as to strengthen financial controls, but did not elaborate.
Organized by the Taipei-based Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research and the Washington-based Heritage Foundation, the day-long event in Taipei drew more than 20 academics, experts and officials from the three countries.
In the afternoon session, Claude Barfield, a former consultant to the US Trade Representative, said the nation should accelerate its pace of economic liberalization and sign more bilateral free-trade agreements with other countries.
Describing the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and China as key, Barfield said Taipei should also seek to ink similar agreements with its other major trading partners to further protect itself from economic shocks.
In addition to the trade pact with China, Taiwan is currently negotiating free-trade deals with Singapore and New Zealand, with the aim of participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership within eight years.
National Chengchi University economist Chuang Yih-chyi (莊奕琦) said that Taiwan’s regional role could be that of an excellent resources coordinator, a provider of technology for latecomers and a risk buffer for counties entering the Chinese market.
“Taiwan serves as a pivotal player in the Asia-Pacific region,” Chuang said, adding that the nation’s experience in internationalization could be beneficial to the formation of regional economic integration.
Three passengers and the assailant were reportedly injured in a knife attack on the Taichung MRT on Tuesday. The Rapid Transit Brigade of the Taichung Police Department is still investigating the incident, with no motive immediately apparent. Taichung Police Commissioner Lee Wen-chang (李文章) said that at least four people were injured in the attack, and the suspect has been taken into custody. The incident occurred at about 11:15am on a train car near Taichung City Hall Station. Witnesses reported seeing a man attacking others with a knife, while other passengers tried to grab his hair or fend him off with umbrellas. Three people were reportedly
‘OBNOXIOUS MAN’: The KMT’s Chen Ching-hui moved into Chung Chia-pin’s path atop the podium and reached for him before he grabbed at her legs with both hands Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) yesterday said he slipped and lost his balance, and did not know who was around him, after jumping onto the speaker’s podium at the legislature in Taipei. He apologized after a collision with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chen Ching-hui (陳菁徽), who moved to intercept him as he mounted the podium. There was pushing and shoving when the session started in the morning as KMT lawmakers attempted to block access to the podium to shield Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) so he could preside over the session. Video footage showed Chung step on a chair and
While it is common to see bumper stickers informing other drivers about important information, such as “baby on board” or “rookie driver,” some motorist in Taiwan are using creative statements to warn other drivers to keep a safe distance to avoid a collision. A photograph recently circulating on the Internet showed a van in Changhua City with a bumper sticker saying that the driver received their license after taking the test three times, so it is dangerous to drive close to the vehicle. The person who took the photograph said all vehicles behind the van appeared to “subconsciously” maintaining a safe distance. Some
Taipei police on Saturday arrested 24 female Thai tourists on suspicion of working as hostesses and engaging in illegal activities at an underground bar in Zhongshan District (中山), the distict’s police precinct said in a statement yesterday. The police also arrested five other people involved in the operation, including the 29-year-old bar owner surnamed Chiang (蔣), and 17 customers, the statement said. The 24 Thai women were fined an undisclosed amount in accordance with the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法) by the police and transferred to a National Immigration Agency (NIA) special brigade in Taipei for repatriation to Thailand. The cases of