CIECA News Letter No. 28 / September, 2014 Index Headline News ........................................................................................... P.1 New chief of TAITRA vows to boost exports of Taiwanese manufacturers Cabinet names Cho new MOEA deputy minister Export orders could grow in August: MOEA Taiwanese business leaders promote Taipei's TPP membership bid Unemployment in August falls to 14-year low Special News...............................................................................................P.5 Sweden's election Left turn This year is last chance to conclude TPP negotiations: Singapore PM Obama: United States underestimated rise of Islamic State Occupy Central is bigger than Hong Kong Bilateral Meetings and Seminars............................................................. P.12 th The 14 Taiwan-India Joint Business Councils Meeting The 14th Germany-Taiwan Joint Business Council Meeting The 7th Luxembourg-Taiwan Joint Business Council Meeting th The 28 Joint Cinference of ROC -Australia & Australia-Taiwan Business Councils th The 28 CACCI Conference Trade and Investment Opportunities in Brazil Guests From Abroad.................................................................................P.24 Mr. Jack MacGowan, Chief Executive Officer, Aer Rianta International visited Taiwan Ms. Lucie Vondrackova, Director of Trade Policy and International Economic Organizations Department of Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic visited Taiwan Economic News .......................................................................................... P.25 Global Economic Indicators-Output, Prices and Unemployment ……P.38 An Outline of Republic of China’s Economics....................................... P.40 2014 CIECA Event Plan........................................................................... P.43 1/46 Headline News generating over US$13 billion in New chief of TAITRA vows to boost business. exports of Taiwanese manufacturers Wang, meanwhile, praised Liang's Francis Liang, the new leader of past economic experience, saying that Taiwan's main trade promotion body, he is confident the new chairman can said Wednesday that he will do his lead the 1,200-person organization to utmost to boost the country's exports. achieve more goals. “Exports are the major pillar of The handover ceremony was Taiwan's economy, and we should use attended by some 400 people, including new thinking and new methods to keep representatives from the public and pace with times,” said the new head of private sectors, as well as foreign the Taiwan External Trade dignitaries in diplomatic circles. Development Council (TAITRA,) at a At a press conference after the handover ceremony in Taipei, led by ceremony, Liang said he will “develop Economics Minister Duh Tyzz-jiun. the next potential markets,” such as “With a strong team spirit, we can India, Brazil, Turkey, Eastern Europe play our roles as Taiwan's trade and the Philippines. development pioneers,” Liang said, Asked if he will shift the focus on adding that he will make sure there will China to other emerging markets, Liang be closer cooperation among trade downplayed the possibility, saying that partners in the future. the whole world is eyeing Taiwan's The 63-year-old Liang, a former biggest trading partner and that he will deputy economics minister, praised keep making such efforts while predecessor Wang Chih-kang, who led expanding exports to other countries. TAITRA for the past six years, for Liang also mentioned the global lifting the image of Taiwanese products trend of developing e-commerce, and helping many Taiwanese saying that it is inevitable and that “the companies get more exposure on the direction is correct.” But he said he international stage. would like to have internal discussions Under Wang's administration, and achieve consensus before making TAITRA held 32 trade promotion any announcement. events in China alone as of August, “We will continue pursuing attracting over 9 million visitors and efficiency as we have always done in 1/46 the past. Once the goal is confirmed (Source: The China Post 2014-09-23) unanimously, we can walk more steadily,” he added. (Source: The China Export orders could grow in August: Post 2014-09-11) MOEA Taiwan is expected to report a Cabinet names Cho new MOEA year-on-year increase in export orders deputy minister for August on the back of peak season The Cabinet announced that the effects for the bellwether electronics Ministry of Economic Affairs has sector, the Ministry of Economic promoted from within in naming Cho Affairs (MOEA) said Saturday. Shih-chao its new deputy minister in Also due to a relatively low charge of political affairs. comparison base seen over the same The 63 year-old will assume the period of last year, orders received by post vacated by Duh Tyzz-jiun, who Taiwanese exporters could continue to took over as minister following the grow year-on-year for the seventh resignation of Chang Chia-juch in consecutive month in August, the August. MOEA said. Cho, who holds a master's degree The ministry is scheduled to in business administration from the release the August export order data University of Louisville College of Sept. 22. Business, was vice economics minister In July, Taiwan's export orders responsible for administrative affairs. totaled US$38.18 billion, up 5.7 Going from vice minister to deputy percent from a year earlier but down minister, a political appointment, is 1.6 percent from a month earlier. In the considered a promotion. month, Taiwan-made electronics He has served at the ministry's products grew 11.2 percent from a year Bureau of Foreign Trade, the earlier to US$9.57 billion, serving as Department of Investment Services and one of the largest export categories of the Department of Economic and Trade the country. Affairs. He has been posted at Taiwan's The MOEA said that as representative offices in New York, international brands are gearing up to Indonesia, South Africa and Kuwait. upgrade their smartphone models, 2/46 global demand for handheld devices The MOEA said that due to solid has been on the rise, while applications demand for mobile devices, Taiwan's in fourth-generation telecom services semiconductor and optoelectronics and the Internet of Things have also sectors could witness shipments been broadening. growing, while the local steel sector has Under such favorable been operating at full capacity. circumstances, local semiconductor In the first seven months of this year, suppliers are expected to report an Taiwan's industrial production index increase in orders placed from overseas grew 4.73 percent from a year earlier. in August, the MOEA said. (Source: The China Post 2014-09-21) The ministry said that the global PC market is riding a wave of Taiwanese business leaders promote replacements due to the end of Taipei's TPP membership bid Microsoft's support for the Windows More than 30 Taiwanese business XP operating system, which has given leaders from around the world gathered an additional boost to Taiwan's export on Capitol Hill in Washington at the orders. invitation of an American congressman In the first seven months of this on Tuesday to endorse their country's year, Taiwan's export orders rose bid to take part in the Trans-Pacific US$258.64 billion, up 5.5 percent from Partnership (TPP). a year earlier. The delegation, led by Jackson C. The MOEA has also anticipated Yang, president of the World Taiwanese that Taiwan will report an improvement Chambers of Commerce, met with in the industrial production index for several congressmen to voice their August as the global economy is on the support for Taiwan's inclusion in TPP road to recovery, which is boosting negotiations and a Select USA global demand. investment campaign. In July, the local industrial Yang said Taiwanese businesses are production index rose 6.08 percent to active in more than 70 countries, hit a record high of 112.26. It was the including the 12 countries that are sixth consecutive month for the index negotiating the TPP. Those countries, to break its own record. he said, would find it inconvenient to 3/46 do business with Taiwan should Taiwan Unemployment in August falls to be excluded from the TPP framework. 14-year low He said he and his group will lobby As the economy continued to U.S. congressmen to pressure the U.S. improve, Taiwan's unemployment government into helping Taiwan take fell to 4.08 percent in August, the part in the next round of TPP lowest level for that month in 14 negotiations. years, the Directorate General of The group also intends to make its Budget, Accounting and Statistics case to the United States Commerce (DGBAS) said Monday. Department, the Office of the U.S. The figure for August represents Trade Representative and other a monthly increase of 0.06 members of Congress in the next two percentage points but a drop of 0.25 days. points year-on-year, according to the Shen Lyushun, Taiwan's DGBAS. representative to Washington, said the For the first eight months of business leaders were visiting 2014, the average unemployment in Washington from around the world to Taiwan was 3.99 percent, the lowest help Washington conclude TPP level for that period in six years, the negotiations by including Taiwan in DGBAS said. them, contending that the agreement After seasonal adjustments, the would be incomplete without Taiwan. jobless rate in August was 3.94 A total of 16 U.S. representatives percent, 0.01 percentage points attended the gathering