On 15 December Representative Lin participated in a Chatham House panel discussion on the UK’s post-Brexit links with Asia, where he put forward Taiwan’s perspective on the important issue.
Joining the panel which included H.E. Mr Koji Tsuruoka, Japanese Ambassador to the UK, H.E. Ms Foo Chi Hsia, High Commissioner of Singapore in the UK, Charles Grant, Director of the Centre for European Reform and Juliet Samuel a columnist for the Daily Telegraph, Representative Lin discussed the impact of Brexit on Asia and the opportunities that Brexit might present for Taiwan and the UK.
Stressing that the Brexit process will have significant implications for the UK’s major trading partners in Asia which include Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan, the Representative affirmed that Taiwan’s robust partnership with the UK in trade and investment will continue after Brexit. The Representative pointed out that as Taiwan and the UK will benefit greatly from close economic ties, the two sides should identify more potential areas for closer cooperation.
He presented three suggestions for the UK’s new relationship with Taiwan/Asia. First, the promotion of a Taiwan-UK free trade agreement (FTA) or a bilateral investment agreement (BIA). To achieve this aim, he suggested a bilateral working group could be established for preliminary exchanges between the two sides. Second, the expansion of Taiwan-UK ties in specific fields such as offshore wind power, digital communications, smart cities, biotechnology and the cultural and innovative industry based on existing mechanisms and forums. Lastly, the UK should develop a more comprehensive and sustainable policy towards its major trading partners in Asia, in which the UK would list its priorities for cooperation, identify trading partners, launch preliminary talks for consultation and sign free trade deals.
In his conclusion, Representative Lin said Taiwan would welcome the UK’s adoption of a new Asian strategy post-Brexit, quoting a statement by the UK Minister of State for International Trade Greg Hands: ‘we want to seize the opportunities open to us and will push for the strongest possible economic links with important partners around the world, including Taiwan.’
