- Negotiations
Taiwan actively seeks bilateral free trade agreements, though it is hampered in this effort by its status vis-a-vis China. It has FTAs already with Panama (2003), Guatemala (2005), Nicaragua (2006), El Salvador (2007) and Honduras (2007). It is negotiating with Dominican Republic and Paraguay. And it hopes to negotiate further deals with Costa Rica, Israel, Swaziland, Japan, the US of course, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Mexico. Taipei’s emphasis on Central American countries as FTA partners is to gain access to the US market under NAFTA and CAFTA. But now Taiwan is in talks with China for a possible FTA following the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between the two governments in 2010.
last update: May 2012
Photo: simonwai/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
13-Mar-2006
Asia Pulse
Taiwan’s free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Nicaragua are expected to be finalized by the end of this year. In addition, Taiwan is scheduled to start FTA talks this year with El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
16-Feb-2006
A group of US congressmen have introduced legislation urging US President George W. Bush to give preference to Taiwan as his administration considers which countries to consider for potential free-trade agreements.
4-Feb-2006
Over the past few years, East-Asian nations have signed many trade agreements and quickened the pace of economic integration. The exclusion of Taiwan from this process is a cause for concern.
22-Dec-2005
Asia Pulse
The Legislative Yuan on Tuesday ratified the Taiwan-Guatemala free trade agreement (FTA), which will now take effect Jan. 1, 2006 as scheduled.
21-Dec-2005
The Legislative Yuan yesterday ratified the ROC-Guatemala free trade agreement (FTA), which will take effect this Jan. 1 as scheduled.
20-Dec-2005
While it’s too early to judge the prospects for the "pan-Asian" free trade community mentioned in the inaugural East Asia Summit (EAS), Taiwan, which has been excluded from participating, should devise a strategy to avoid being marginalized before it’s too late, analysts said.
10-Dec-2005
The anticipated collapse of the sixth WTO ministerial meeting will divert member countries away from striking bilateral or regional free-trade pacts, which would gradually drive Taiwan’s trade and business into a corner, lawmakers and researchers said yesterday.
5-Dec-2005
A Taiwan-Guatemala free-trade agreement (FTA) passed the first reading in the Legislative Yuan yesterday and is expected to become effective on Jan. 1.
10-Oct-2005
Taiwan News
Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian made a pitch for the signing of a free trade agreement with Honduras during a state banquet host by him for visiting Honduras President Ricardo Maduro yesterday.
25-Sep-2005
Taipei Times
Like Taiwan’s first free trade agreement (FTA) with Panama its second free trade pact, with Guatemala, will have more significance politically than economically, economists said yesterday.
