Taipei, Beijing hold trade in goods talks

2015-04-01

The 10th round of negotiations on the trade in goods agreement between Taiwan and mainland China kicked off March 31 in Beijing, focusing on issues such as market opening and tariff concessions.

Headed by Yang Jen-ni, director-general of the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Taiwan delegation is engaging its mainland Chinese counterpart in talks on preferential tariff status for the at-risk industries of automotives, display panels, machine tools and petrochemicals.

“This three-day round will see negotiators exchange ideas on the free trade agreement concluded last November between South Korea and mainland China,” MOEA Deputy Minister Cho Shih-chao said.

“The ministry is scheduled to release a report next week assessing the impact of the FTA on the local industrial sector, and Taiwan expects to obtain more preferential trade tariffs than South Korea through the cross-strait goods pact.”

Concerning the opening of respective markets, a key plank in the trade in goods agenda, preliminary consensus was reached by the two sides during the ninth round of talks last September in Yilan County. Zero tariffs for listed goods will be achieved in five stages: immediately, within five years, within 10 years, within 15 years and exceptions.

According to the MOEA, no definitive opinions have been formed on what products from the four at-risk industries will make the tariff reduction list. It is expected that the 10th round of talks will make headway on this issue.

In addition, non-tariff issues like technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures for food safety, and animal and plant health are to be addressed.

“The MOEA has been in close communication with the Legislature on the negotiations,” Cho said, adding that he is optimistic progress can be made in the near future on fast-tracking passage of the bill governing the monitoring of cross-strait pacts.

“This legislation will expedite ratification of the trade in goods agreement and strengthen Taiwan’s competitiveness in global trade and economic development.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=228909&CtNode=413)