A leading British trade official yesterday arrived in Taiwan hoping to boost relations at this year’s trade talks between Taiwan and the UK on Sept. 25, the British Office Taipei said.
“I am delighted to be in Taipei for the 21st annual trade talks with Taiwan, building ever-closer links in the world’s fastest-growing region,” said George Hollingbery, the British Minister of State for Trade Policy at the Department for International Trade.
The meeting is to be chaired by Hollingbery and Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花).
It is to focus on building stronger trade and investment links, and resolving market access issues, Hollingbery said.
Among the issues to be discussed are improving market access for the UK’s food and drink industry and pharmaceutical sector, the office said.
Taiwan-UK trade last year rose to ￡5.5 billion (US$7.19 billion), making Taiwan the UK’s eighth-largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region, and resulting in jobs and prosperity for both economies, Hollingbery said.
“It is vital that we ease barriers to trade wherever we can, even before we leave the EU,” he said.
The recent introduction of British pork products to the Taiwanese market would be celebrated at the trade talks, the office said, adding that Taiwan opened its pork market for the first time to British exporters on Aug. 6.
Hollingbery is to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the office and the Taiwan Financial Services Roundtable, a cross-industry financial services association, to boost cooperation and promote financial technology.
During his three-day stay in Taipei, Hollingbery is also to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) to discuss bilateral trade relations and opportunities for growth, the office said.
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