ROC President Ma Ying-jeou encouraged Taiwan businesses July 19 to capitalize on the opportunities stemming from the recently concluded Cross-Strait Trade in Services Agreement.
“The pact will strengthen local industries such as banking, e-commerce, filming, futures, hair salon and beauty, laundry, life insurance, online gaming, restaurants and retailing,” Ma said.
“Of equal importance, it does not encompass an immigrant investor program, provisions allowing mainland Chinese laborers to work in Taiwan, nor permit investments from the other side of the strait in the local Chinese medicine retail, publishing and taxi sectors.”
Ma made the remarks while receiving a World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce delegation at the Presidential Office in Taipei City.
The agreement is part of government efforts boosting cross-strait economic exchanges, Ma said, adding that since he took office in May 2008, Taipei and Beijing restored institutionalized negotiations and, as of June, signed 19 agreements and reached two consensuses, including 2009’s Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).
The approach of improving cross-strait relations has delivered fruitful results in other areas such as Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly as an observer for five consecutive years; the country’s accession to World Trade Organization’s Government Procurement Agreement; and attendance of former ROC Vice President Lien Chan as his personal envoy at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, Ma said.
“These positive developments demonstrate that improved cross-strait relations have increased our international participation and are a virtuous cycle that can exist side by side.”
The president said he also hopes Taiwan can play a more constructive role in world affairs through U.N.-affiliated bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Such a development would benefit the global community as Taiwan provides navigation services to more than 1.3 million controlled flights passing through the Taipei Flight Information Region each year, but is unable to immediately access related information provided by the ICAO, he added.
On regional economic cooperation and trade, improved cross-strait ties also help open talks with other economies in signing free trade agreements, including the recently concluded Agreement between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC), and ongoing negotiations with Singapore on a similar pact.
“New Zealand is the first developed economy and non-ROC diplomatic nation to ink an economic cooperation agreement with Taiwan,” Ma said.
“The ANZTEC represents Taiwan’s commitment and efforts to regional economic integration and creates favorable conditions for Taiwan to join trade blocs such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.”
Other approaches to boosting economic development and diversifying Taiwan’s trade include the government’s Economic Power-Up Plan, free economic zone initiative, and a project encouraging overseas Taiwan businesses to invest in Taiwan.
These initiatives have helped Taiwan stay strong over the past five years amid a sluggish international economy wrestling with the effects of the global financial tsunami and European sovereign debt crisis, Ma said.
Citing statistics that Taiwan had an average 3 percent economic growth rate between 2008 and 2012, compared to a global figure of 1.9 percent, Ma said this result ranked the country No. 2 out of Asia’s four dragons.
Taiwan came in at 16th in the World Bank’s 2013 ease of doing business report, up from the previous year’s 25th and 45th places from 2009, the president said, adding that the country finished third in the Business Environment Risk Intelligence index.
“This proves the government has made headway in easing regulations and promoting administrative efficiency.” (RC-JSM)
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