- 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
23-Jan-2005
Kyodo
Taiwan’s Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh called on Japan to strike a bilateral free trade agreement, saying such a pact will be "very beneficial to Japan."
11-Dec-2004
CNA
Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh signed a free trade agreement (FTA) consultation framework Tuesday with her counterpart from Guatemala, Marcio Cuevas, and began their first meeting on FTA issues.
8-Nov-2004
Taipei Times
Taiwan is struggling to find ways of making free trade agreements (FTAs) with its trading partners, even as China and ASEAN are set to sign two landmark agreements this month establishing the world’s largest Free Trade Area, which is scheduled to come into being by 2010.
20-Sep-2004
Taipei, Sept. 20 (CNA) The first round of talks on a Taiwan-Nicaragua free trade agreement (FTA) started in Taipei Monday. Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) officials said that a 20-member Nicaraguan delegation is visiting Taipei to negotiate with its Taiwanese counterparts.
17-Sep-2004
Taiwan is expected to sign an investment protection pact with Israel and start bilateral negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) soon, Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) officials said Friday.
16-Sep-2004
The first round of talks on a Taiwan-Nicaragua free trade agreement (FTA) will be held in Taipei Sept. 20-24, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) officials said Thursday.
13-Sep-2004
In light of Taiwan’s efforts to improve intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (AmCham) yesterday said that it has been urging the US government to take action to remove Taiwan from its "Special 301 Priority Watch List" of IPR violators as quickly as possible.
2-Sep-2004
In January 2002, Taiwan became a member of the World Trade Organization, whose prime mission is to promote progressively freer trade globally in faith that all countries’ economies can be stimulated thereby.
2-Sep-2004
Guatemala pushes FTA talks with Taiwan
Guatemalan President Oscar Berger called for his country and the Republic of China Thursday to hold talks for signing a free trade agreement as soon as possible.
1-Sep-2004
Economic Affairs Vice Minister Chen Ruey-long claimed Thursday that Taiwan will be able to sign free trade agreements (FTAs) with three of its diplomatic allies in the Caribbean and Central America within 18 months. According to Chen, the Ministry of Economic Affairs will launch negotiations with Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua in the near term, as arrangements are proceeding smoothly.