Taiwan: Joining TPP needs more than rhetoric
03/04/2013 49
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The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou has set a goal of obtaining Taiwan's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement by 2020.
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the government will work to create favorable conditions for Taiwan's TPP membership through methods such as launching international lobbying efforts, holding public hearings and distributing publicity materials.
If the government continues to merely pay lip service in this way, we are very worried that seven years from now, nothing will have been achieved.
The TPP has been described as a model for 21st Century trade agreements. This means that the TPP will have a higher level of trade liberalization than any other existing free trade agreements.
Therefore, taking part in such a "high-quality" agreement should never be mistaken as a romantic wedding. It will require a mindset change by the whole nation and preparations to widely open Taiwan's market to foreign products and companies.
In order to win support from the public, the government will need to provide compensation for those affected by the competition and help them transfer to other more competitive activities.
The agriculture sector, for example, will probably bear the brunt of the liberalization, so the government should assist farmers to engage in the production of high-quality products or shift to agritourism.
Weak companies in the manufacturing sector should also be provided with assistance to improve their productivity.
April 2, 2013
Source: Focus Taiwan
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