A New Zealand business delegation to Taiwan next week will be the first major trade mission since a free trade agreement came into force in December last year, a New Zealand exporters group announced Tuesday.

The 30-strong delegation organized by Export New Zealand and the government's New Zealand Trade and Enterprise agency will be led by Charles Finny, who negotiated the Agreement between New Zealand and the separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC).

A highlight of the mission's itinerary would be a formal lunch of senior officials and business people to be hosted by New Zealand's Commerce and Industry Office to be addressed by Finny and a senior Taiwan official, said a statement from Export New Zealand.

"Taiwan is an affluent market of 23 million people and the ANZTEC agreement has opened unprecedented access to it for New Zealand traders," Finny said in the statement.

"After four years, 98.7 percent of our current exports to Chinese Taipei will be duty free.

"From day one of the agreement last December virtually all our dairy exports, and all our apples, cherries and wine were rated at zero duty," he said

"Taiwan is already our top market for apples.

"All beef exports will become duty free over the next one to two years, and kiwifruit will be available there duty free within three years."

ANZTEC was a fully comprehensive agreement, he said.

"It includes an air services policy, facilitates faster Customs procedures for New Zealand goods, liberalizes trade in services and investment, and addresses issues around intellectual property.

"The agreement also specifically opens the possibility for film and television co-productions and facilitates closer cultural and commercial linkages between Maori and the indigenous peoples of Taiwan." Endi

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)