Taiwan is resolved to win the endorsement of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) member states to join the second round of negotiations and gain access to the free-trade agreement, a Cabinet spokesman said yesterday.
Taiwan welcomes the TPP, which is to create the biggest trade bloc in the Pan-Pacific region among 12 countries, Executive Yuan spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) said, citing Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) after Monday’s conclusion of TPP negotiations in Atlanta, Georgia, to lower trade barriers and enhance investment protection.
Sun said that since last year, the Executive Yuan has called nine special task force meetings to devise complementary measures and revise local laws and regulations in line with international norms, in an effort to show Taiwan’s resolve to join the TPP.
It is imperative that Taiwan, an export-oriented nation, gains access to the TPP, Sun said.
Taiwan’s participation in the trade pact would be tantamount to several economic cooperation agreements, securing an opportunity for fair competition and creating broader foreign trade horizons for the nation, he added.
When the TPP takes effect, its economic scale is expected to be about US$28 trillion, accounting for 36 percent of the world’s overall production value, according to the Executive Yuan.
It said the 12 TPP member states — Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Vietnam — are all important trade partners.
Taiwan’s shipments to the 12 countries last year totaled US$103 billion, making up one-third of its overall exports, the Executive Yuan said.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
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