The collaboration of Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park (PABP) and Kaohsiung Free Trade Zone (KFTZ) will boost Taiwan's value-added agriculture (also known as exquisite agriculture) and galvanize the island's export of high-quality produce worldwide, the premier said today after speaking with business representatives at a symposium in the park.
Both the PABP and KFTZ have been designated as free economic pilot zones (FEPZs), which the government has been actively promoting while guiding promising industries in order to keep the nation from being marginalized from the global trend of regional economic integration, Jiang pointed out.
The government's FEPZs will include free trade zones already regulated by legislation—which are now being augmented—and the PABP. If the FEPZ model is successful, it will be expanded so the same regulations will be applicable to the entire nation, he said.
The premier affirmed that exquisite agriculture is one of Taiwan's six emerging industries, and "with the incorporation of science and technology, the agricultural sector will sustain its production value and labor force while adding value to its products to deliver high-quality produce."
At the symposium, representatives of the agricultural sector voiced their concerns over the inspection and certification of export and import of agricultural products to and from mainland China. The premier responded that the Council of Agriculture will continue to negotiate about relevant issues with its mainland Chinese counterpart, and the Executive Yuan will also convene meetings with the Mainland Affairs Council and the Straits Exchange Foundation to find solutions.
In response to some industry members' apprehension about the impact of free trade agreements on the agricultural sector, the premier noted the Executive Yuan already has post-liberalization subsidy measures and funds in place, and revitalization and relief guidance will be provided to any businesses facing challenges.
Finally, answering other representatives' call for the signing of more free trade agreements, the premier reiterated that the government is indeed striving to do so and has already achieved great breakthroughs this year, such as the inking of trade pacts with New Zealand and Singapore as well as the Cross-Straits Agreement on Trade in Services with mainland China. He expressed hope these accords will help businesses make inroads worldwide, including mainland China.