Taiwan, Italy resume trade talks after 40-year hiatus
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Publication Date：05/05/2011
Source： Taiwan Today
By Grace Kuo
Trade relations between Taiwan and Italy will strengthen following the launching of the Italian-Taiwanese Economic, Industrial and Financial Cooperation Forum, the Bureau of Foreign Trade said May 5.
“The forum is a permanent communication platform for bilateral economic and trade issues for high-ranking officials, particularly at the director-general level,” an unnamed BOFT official said.
Held May 4 in Rome, Italy, the inaugural forum was attended by Cho Shih-chao, director-general of the BOFT, and his counterpart Amedeo Teti at the Italian Ministry of Economic Development.
“The talks were the first between such high-ranking officials from the two sides in 40 years,” the official added, noting that formal diplomatic ties between the two nations were severed in 1970.
Some of the issues discussed include investment collaboration, trade promotion, simplification of Taiwanese investors’ visa application procedures and working holiday programs.
Total trade volume between Taiwan and Italy reached US$4.5 billion in 2010. Around 40 Taiwanese companies have investments in Italy worth US$322 million, according to the BOFT.
Italy is Taiwan’s fourth largest trading partner among all European Union nations. (HZW)
