The Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Taipei (JCCI) issued its 2022 White Paper on October 7. National Development Council (NDC) Deputy Minister
Kao attended and received the 2022 White Paper on behalf of the government. She said that many issues related to development of business operations in Taiwan in the 2021 White Paper have been resolved, achieving the best result ever.
On behalf of the government, Deputy Minister
Kao thanked the JCCI for their affirmation.
The JCCI 2022 White Paper has the theme “Entering a new 50 years, further deepening Japan-Taiwan cooperation,” which the NDC identifies with deeply; she said the suggestions within are also in line with the government’s current policy themes and thanked the Japanese for their suggestions. Deputy Minister Kao said that Taiwan and Japan are each other’s third biggest trading partner and have complementary industry and trade advantages; there are huge cooperation opportunities with respect to Digital Transformation, Net Zero Transition and Building Resilient Supply Chains.
In terms of Digital Transformation, under the 5+2 Innovative Industries Program and Six Core Strategic Industries launched by President Tsai after taking office, industries including semi-conductors, 5GAIoT, precision medicine and electric vehicles are all next-generation industries that will “flip” Taiwan; they are also key industries for Taiwan-Japan cooperation. The investment by TSMC in Kumamoto and
Tsukuba in Japan in setting up two plants is a fine example of the synergy of the integration between Taiwan semi-conductor wafer manufacturing and Japanese materials and equipment advantages.
As for Net Zero Transition, the government has already announced “Taiwan's Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050”, and the concrete contents of 12 key strategies will be announced at the end of this year. Japan also announced its green growth strategy last year. The two sides can look forward to cooperation in various ways in the area of net zero and carbon emissions. In particular, Japan is a technology leader in the areas of hydrogen energy, carbon capture, recycling, energy conservation system and other areas. Through cooperation between the two sides, Taiwan-Japan green growth opportunities can be enjoyed.
With regard to Building Resilient Supply Chains, as well as Taiwan and Japan continuing to cooperate on key industry supply chains, Taiwan will continue to seek the support of Japan and other members for participation in regional trade and economic integration and the signing of bilateral trade agreements. On behalf of the government, Deputy Minister Kao thanked Japan for supporting Taiwan’s CPTPP application. Taiwan will also actively carry out consultation with the US on the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade. Echoing the suggestion of the JCCI, Taiwan and Japan should accelerate the signing of a bilateral trade agreement and thus create good conditions for Taiwan’s application for entry into the
Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
In response to suggestions from the JCCI relating to water and electricity supply stability, land requirements, easing border controls and other matters of concern, Deputy Minister Kao explained that the government has put forward the 10-year NT$564.5 billion “Strengthening Power Grid Resilience Construction Plan” to disperse and strengthen the grid and enhance power supply stability. To ensure stable water supply, the government has put forward the “Master Plan of Water Resources Management in Northern Area of Taiwan” to implement flexible water dispatch and backup. As for assisting industry with obtaining land, a thorough understanding of the industrial land supply and demand situation has been acquired and strategies including preferential release of public land and industry-use land development and renewal put forward to guide expanded investment by industry. With respect to easing border controls, on September 29 Taiwan fully restored the mechanism for visa-free entry to Taiwan for countries not requiring a visa and, from October 13, arrivals will not require home quarantine, instead adopting “7 days self-epidemic prevention”.
Echoing the suggestion of “Entering a new 50 years, further deepening Japan-Taiwan cooperation” put forward by the 2022 White Paper, Deputy Minster Kao expressed the hope that in the next 50 years, Taiwan and Japan can, through various channels enhance their industrial and trade and economic partnership and enjoy economic prosperity on the basis of long-term deep friendship.
Contact person: Counselor Yang Shu-ling, Regulatory Reform Center, NDC
Office Telephone: （02）2316-5929