In the News

MOEA stresses need for economic integration

MOEA Minister Shih Yen-shiang reaffirms the importance of Taiwan stepping up regional economic integration efforts June 7 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of MOEA)

• Publication Date：06/08/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today
• By  Rachel Chan

Taiwan must be part of regional economic integration as this is key to boosting the island’s trade and sustainable development, according to ROC Economics Minister Shih Yen-shiang June 7.

“The country will be marginalized if it does not forge more trade partnerships with countries in the Asia-Pacific region and rest of the world,” Shih said. “The Ministry of Economic Affairs is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to achieve this goal.”

Shih made the remarks at a news conference upon returning from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meeting on trade in Kazan, Russia.

With the focus of this year’s meeting on economic integration, Shih said APEC economies are stepping up efforts to promote regional trade and investment liberalization.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, for example, is planning to establish the Framework for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, an arrangement integrating members with their ASEAN Plus One partners such as Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and mainland China, Shih said.

Another example, the minister said, is the U.S.-initiated Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The TPP is a proposed trade agreement comprising negotiating partners Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the U.S. Three other nations, Japan, Mexico and South Korea, are also seeking to join discussions on the nascent pact.

In addition, Russia is planning to open the Eurasian Economic Commission to more countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States. Only Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia are members of the EEC at present.

Against this backdrop, Shih said one of the top priorities for the central government is strengthening economic relations with the U.S.—Taiwan’s third largest trading partner—by resuming talks under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.

“Restarting TIFA talks will give greater impetus to a number of important measures, including the APEC initiative slashing tariffs on environmental goods and services, and the World Trade Organization’s Information Technology Agreement,” he said.

Expanding economic exchanges with mainland China is another step taken by the government to fast-track Taiwan’s regional integration, Shih said, adding that Beijing and Taipei are likely to conclude an investment agreement during scheduled talks later this month under the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).

The minister said the government has also commenced negotiations on the Agreement between Singapore and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Partnership, and completed a feasibility study with New Zealand on an economic cooperation pact. (JSM)

Write to Rachel Chan at ccchan@mofa.gov.tw