Economy

MOEA targets additional investment from Japan

MOEA Deputy Minister Francis Kao-hsin Liang (right) and ROC Representative to Japan Shen Ssu-tsun look forward to the central government’s latest investment tour of Japan paying handsome dividends. (Courtesy of MOEA)

• Publication Date：07/09/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today
• By  Meg Chan

An ROC investment promotion mission is visiting Japan to drum up additional business interest from the Northeast Asian nation in Taiwan, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs July 9.

Headed by Deputy MOEA Minister Francis Kuo-hsin Liang, the delegation comprises senior ministry officials and representatives from Hsinchu County Government, Metal Industries R&D Center and Southern Taiwan Science Park.

During the group’s stay from July 8 to 13, it is scheduled to visit leading Japanese firms seeking tie-ups in sectors spanning communications, digital content, food and logistics services, retailing and semiconductor.

Highlights of the visit include two seminars and consultation sessions in Tokyo and Osaka aimed at bringing prospective investors up to speed on Taiwan’s business environment.

The officials will also outline investment promotion programs, policy incentives and specific opportunities available in Taiwan under the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), which took effect in September 2010.

According to ROC government statistics, trade between Taiwan and Japan reached US$26.88 billion in the first five months of 2012, down 10.49 percent from a year ago.

Japan is Taiwan’s leading source of technological know-how and foreign investment, channeling over US$17 billion into Taiwan between 1952 and 2011, or 15 percent of total foreign investment during this period.

Taipei-Tokyo relations scaled new heights last year, with a record 1.3 million Japanese visiting Taiwan, and the inking of open sky and investment protection agreements.

The two sides are also close to concluding a mutual recognition agreement that will fast-track product accreditation and clearance procedures, boosting reciprocal trade in electronics and telecommunications. (JSM)

Write to Meg Chang at sfchang@mail.mofa.gov.tw