The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) will open six offices in mainland China in the first quarter of this year, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang said Jan. 31.
“When representatives from Taipei and Beijing met last November, it was agreed that the two sides would set up formal reciprocal trade offices,” Shih said. “The opening up of the TAITRA branches is in line with this previous agreement.”
The purpose of the new offices will be to help Taiwanese enterprises operating in mainland China, Shih said.
According to TAITRA, it already has staff posted in 10 major cities in mainland China, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Wuhan. Personnel for the new offices will be chosen from among TAITRA’s more experienced operatives in mainland China, it added.
TAITRA’s counterpart, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, will establish a representative office in Taipei in the first quarter of this year, sources familiar with the matter said.
The minister announced the arrangement at a banquet held in the Grand Hotel in Taipei. About 400 Taiwan businesspeople with operations in mainland China attended the event.
Shih said that the government is also working to sign four agreements with mainland China on trade in goods, trade in services, investment protection and dispute resolution.(HZW)
Write to Aaron Hsu at pj1210meister@mail.gio.gov.tw