•Publication Date：11/06/2013
•Source： Taiwan Today
The ROC and Japan inked five cooperative agreements Nov. 5 in Taipei City, ushering in a new era in bilateral relations, according to Taiwan-headquartered Association of East Asian Relations.
Signed by AEAR Chairman Lee Chia-chin and Mitsuo Ohashi, chairman of Japan-based Interchange Association, the agreements span e-commerce, high-speed rail transportation, intellectual property rights applications, pharmaceutical regulations and search and rescue operations involving aviation accidents at sea.
“These pacts are in line with President Ma Ying-jeou’s building blocks approach to expanding bilateral relations, and will play a key role in spurring more two-way cooperation in areas paramount to the well-being of the people in both countries such as business, health and transportation safety,” Lee said.
To date, the ROC and Japan have concluded 36 major agreements since Tokyo severed diplomatic ties with Taipei in 1972, including the landmark investment and fisheries agreements concluded in September 2011 and April 2013, respectively.
“The new agreements are set to pave the way for the future negotiations on pacts pertaining to customs, financial supervision, trade in services and taxation,” he added.
In response, Ohashi said Taiwan is an extremely important partner to Japan, with the two sharing rock-solid economic relationships and frequent people-to-people exchanges. The latest development is testimony to steadily improving relations, he added.
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the e-commerce agreement is the first of its kind signed between Taiwan and a trading partner.
“It will create a safe and stable environment for online transactions, promote cross-border trade of digital products and services, as well as provide intellectual property rights protection fostering business innovation and information flows,” said Yang Jen-ni, deputy chief representative of the MOEA Office of Trade Negotiations.
The memorandum of understanding on railway transportation allows the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to take turns hosting regular meetings and organizing seminars to enhance reliability, safety and service quality of respective high-speed rail systems and jointly expand into the global market.
According to the MOEA Intellectual Property Office (TIPO), the priority document exchange memorandum of understanding will significantly streamline patent processing procedures in both countries by allowing priority rights applications to be submitted through electronic exchange systems.
“Japan is the top source of patent applications in Taiwan, with 13,978 submissions in 2012,” TIPO Director-General Wang Mei-hua said. “The new approach is in line with the global standards, and is forecast to slash application costs and processing time, as well as enhance administrative efficiency.”
The framework agreement on pharmaceutical regulation cooperation calls for the Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to enhance policy coordination and promote exchanges in medical devices, new medicine and skincare products.
“The partnership will enhance information exchanges and create business opportunities for firms on both sides,” a TFDA official said, adding that the agency expects to see the pact lift output of local sectors by NT$5 billion (US$169 million).
Part of this effort involves both nations taking turns hosting a Taiwan-Japan medical exchange meeting. The inaugural event is set to take place Dec. 23-24 in Taipei, with officials and business leaders gathering to discuss cooperation.
Under the agreement on sea search and rescue, the Taipei Mission Control Center and Tokyo Rescue Control Center will closely cooperate and coordinate their actions in aviation accidents, and arrange visits, training sessions and other activities on a regular basis to enhance capabilities.
According to the AEAR, the agreements are scheduled to take effect soon after Taipei and Tokyo complete respective regulatory procedures.
