Taiwan moots bilateral investment agreement with EU

TAIPEI – Noting that the EU has long been Taiwan’s leading source of foreign direct investment, Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen, has told a visiting member of the European Parliament, Hans van Baalen, that Taiwan is willing and able to enter into negotiations with the EU on a bilateral investment agreement.

Van Baalen is President of Belgium-headquartered Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party.

Tsai said Taiwan’s ‘five-plus-two’ industrial innovation programme was creating a wealth of collaborative possibilities for Taiwan and the EU, especially in the areas of green energy technology and the Internet of Things.

A key plank in the Government’s national development strategy, the economic revitalisation program targets three high-growth sectors - biotech and pharmaceuticals, national defence and smart machinery, as well as promotion of two concepts: the circular economy and a new paradigm for agricultural development.
 Regarding Taiwan-Netherlands relations, Tsai said she hoped the two sides would work toward fast-tracking the signing of reciprocal customs co-operation and working holiday agreements.
 She thanked van Baalen for his support of Taiwan’s efforts to secure meaningful participation in multilateral organisations.   https://www.mofa.gov.tw/en/ (ATI).