- 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
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.
1-Sep-2004
President Chen Shui-bian said Tuesday he hopes to expand Taiwan’s economic footprint in the Americas through the recently signed free trade agreement (FTA) with Panama and offered to assist with the Central American country’s plan to widen the Panama Canal.
14-Jul-2004
Taiwan’s free trade troubles
Hardly a day goes by without some news about free trade agreements (FTAs). Right this minute, tired trade officials somewhere are undoubtedly hammering out the final details of a bilateral trade pact.
7-Jul-2004
A Taiwanese official delegation will visit Paraguay later this month to negotiate groundwork for the two nations’ Free Trade Agreement (FTA) while Argentina acknowledged it had teamed up with Brazil to try and force Paraguay into switching its diplomatic allegiance from Taipei to Beijing.
25-May-2004
FTA with Paraguay being pursued
Taiwan is probing the possibility of signing a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Paraguay, a government official confirmed yesterday.
