Taiwan's industrial and commercial sectors possess world-class competitiveness, and the government will continue to work with them and adjust policies to meet the needs of these sectors and the citizenry as a whole, Premier Jiang Yi-huah stated today.
Jiang pledged that the government will take the pulse of world developmental trends and continuously adjust and innovate to help Taiwan win out in the global race.
The premier made these remarks at a breakfast meeting with the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce, Taiwan, where he led Cabinet ministers to hear the industrial and commercial sectors' views.
Since 2008 Taiwan has met with numerous major challenges, Jiang stated, including Typhoon Morakot in 2009, which resulted in heavy flooding and wreaked havoc on the nation, as well as the financial tsunami and the European sovereign debt crisis, which dealt heavy blows to the world economy.
Signs of recovery are in sight, however, he noted. In the first half of this year, there were three consecutive months in which Taiwan's monitoring indicators showed "green," signaling steady economic growth, while the total value of export orders from January to April rose 4.3 percent as compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile, joblessness has been decreasing, with the unemployment rate dropping to 3.91 percent in April this year—the lowest since June 2008—and the total number of employed persons from January to April showing an average year-on-year gain of over 100,000.
These objective indicators demonstrate that the domestic economy is gaining stability and seeing further growth, so as long as a collective effort is made, Taiwan's economy has much to strive for, the premier affirmed.
The government will continue to carry out various economic measures in the future, Jiang added, including convening the national conference on economic and trade affairs and the national energy conference, promoting free economic pilot zones (FEPZs) and encouraging innovative start-ups by youths.
The premier stated that the national economic and trade conference is crucial to the future direction of the nation's economy and trade, and leaders in the industrial, commercial and other sectors are serving as consultants for it. Regional and national conferences will both be held, and Jiang hopes leaders and representatives from various sectors can attend, explicitly express their counsel to the nation and exchange views with other sectors of society in order to forge a consensus on Taiwan's future economic development.
The government is currently preparing the national energy conference, as well, and academics and experts will be invited to discuss possible frameworks for Taiwan's future energy policy there. The objective is to find a policy that will fill the energy resource gap and provide businesses and households with a reliable and affordable supply of electricity.
As for the FEPZs, Premier Jiang said the proposed special act governing the zones has yet to undergo a thorough review by the Legislative Yuan, but it will receive priority attention at the extraordinary session later this month. He urged everyone to rethink this economic development project and not to approach such a major decision with a negative or myopic view. The premier also hopes the nation can come together and support the idea of Taiwan as a free economic island. The pilot zones will enhance Taiwan's competitiveness, build links to the world and prepare Taiwan for entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, he said.
Finally, since Taiwan's economy cannot rely only on market opening, tariff cuts and interest rate adjustments, the government will encourage transformation in all industries, enhance companies' innovative research and development capabilities, and help startups obtain the capital they need. In talking with young businesspeople all across Taiwan, the premier has met many idealistic, adventurous and hardworking individuals who represent the future and hope of the nation. The government offers many programs to help these entrepreneurs achieve their dreams, turning young people into Taiwan's foundation for a more secure society and for economic growth, he affirmed.