At the Executive Yuan meeting today, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) briefed Premier Jiang Yi-huah on its participation at the 8th APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting 2013, held earlier this month in Japan.
The premier said that Taiwan is well aware of the importance of facilitating the flow of people and goods from one place to another: as early as 2009, the government included efficient transportation networks, the Taoyuan Aerotropolis and free trade ports as major components of the i-Taiwan 12 Projects. Presently, the government is promoting free economic pilot zones (FEPZ), which will operate "inside the border but outside of customs" and outsource various processing needs to local manufacturers, industries and science parks throughout the country. This type of business model will allow people and goods to move across borders with greater ease and create an attractive environment for investment, he added.
Also at the ministerial meeting, Taiwan and Japan reached high-level consensus concerning cooperative efforts in disaster prevention, cruise industry development and high-speed rail technology. The MOTC will coordinate with other government agencies to follow up with the Japanese side and put the consensus into practice. Jiang also asked the MOTC to continue negotiating on fifth freedom rights for Taiwanese carriers flying through Japan's Narita Airport.
Taiwan also held bilateral talks with Vietnam and India to discuss possibilities of investing in those countries via Taiwan International Ports Corporation. The premier requested the MOTC to carefully analyze the local regulations, investment environment and taxation system to assess the feasibility of the projects. Additionally, Taiwan reached a consensus with Vietnam on signing a cooperation memorandum of understanding. Jiang asked the MOTC to keep working toward this direction to strengthen bilateral cooperation and exchanges.
According the MOTC, this APEC meeting took place on September 4-6 in Tokyo and featured the theme "Enhancing Connectivity by 'High-Quality Transportation' in the APEC Region: Aiming for a transportation system which helps to accelerate growth and prosperity within the Pacific Rim." The ministerial joint statement announced thereafter also emphasized connectivity and basic transportation facilities.
Taiwan's delegation was headed by MOTC Minister Yeh Kuang-shih, who delivered a report to other APEC members on how Taoyuan Aerotropolis will enhance the global circulation of passenger and cargo. After explaining overall plans for the aerotropolis and the area surrounding Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the minister said that the airport has also been designated as one of the FEPZ. Taiwan's government will ease trade regulations and offer economic incentives to businesses inside the zones as a means of improving the country's overall investment environment.