Thursday, 29/4/10
Calendar of Events
• 26-30 April. Second joint symposium on bio/nano-technology, organised by the New Zealand Royal Society of Scientists, in conjunction with the Taiwan Science Council, to be held in Wellington.
• 30 April. Taiwan Business Leaders Forum in Auckland.
• May. June New Zealand food and beverage month at
Wellcome (8 May–4 June) and City Super supermarkets (10-23 May), Taipei.
• May. CIP Indigenous Film Festival, with screenings in Taitung, Kaohsiung, Pingdung, Nantou, Hualien and Taipei, to include New Zealand films “Strength of Water” and “Taua”.
• 10 May to 10 June. New Zealand food and beverage month at Evergreen Laurel Hotel, Taichung.
• 14 May English New Zealand education agent seminars, Taipei.
• 18-21 May. APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meeting to be held in Taipei, with business representation from all APEC economies.
• 30 May. Race up Taipei 101. New Zealand endurance runner (winner of the 2010 Empire State Building stair-race) Melissa Moon to compete.
• 1-5 June. COMPUTEX TAIPEI – one of Asia’s largest ICT industry and consumer computer products shows.
• 8-11 June. Austronesian Conference, to include presentations by New Zealand writer Briar Grace-Smith.
• 23-26 June. Food Taipei 2010, with sections covering international foods, food processing machinery, catering equipment and packaging.
• 25 June to 15 July. Taipei Film Festival, to include screening of recent New Zealand feature film “Boy” in the competition section.
• 1 July - 31 October. Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum – with participation by New Zealand ceramic artists.
• 15-20 July. NZ Trio to visit Taiwan.
• 20-25 July. BioBusiness Asia Conference and BioTaiwan 2010 Exhibition.
Recent News
2009 Trade Statistics
Despite the tough global economic climate in 2009, exports to Taiwan (New Zealand’s 11th largest export market) remained steady at NZ$755 million (up NZ$4 million from the year before). The largest drivers of this were bulk milk powders (up 59% to NZ$135 million), beef (up 2% to NZ$109 million), and kiwifruit (up 20% to NZ$64 million). Other products posting strong growth (though off a lower base) were cherries (up 45% to NZ$11.3 million), honey (up 54% to NZ$391,000) and wine (up 30% to NZ$839,000 - more than double in the last five years). This constituted a comparatively strong performance in a year in which exports to eight out of New Zealand’s top ten export markets fell. The balance of trade with Taiwan also changed, with imports from Taiwan reducing by NZ$366 million to NZ$607 million. Overall two way trade in the year to December 2009 was NZ$1.36 billion.
Dairy Tariff Reductions Continued
In February Taiwan announced an extension to its unilateral tariff reductions on butter and milk fat imports for a further three months to the end of May 2010. This extension will take the total period covered by these unilateral tariff reductions to twenty-one months. The 25% tariff reduction, applying up to 31 May 2010, provides reduced tariff rates of 3.75% for butter (HS Code 0405.1000) and 6% for anhydrous milk fat (HS Code 0405.9010). Currently, New Zealand is the number one supplier of butter to Taiwan (with 69% market share). Also extended until May were the unilateral temporary tariff reductions of 50% on infant milk powder (HS 1901.1000) to a tariff level of 2.5% and a 25% reduction on prepared milk powder (HS 1901.9021) to a tariff level of 9%. These tariff reductions apply until 15 May and are due to be reviewed then.
Product Standards and Conformance Arrangements
In early March, arrangements were put in place to provide a framework for improving clarity and transparency in technical standards applying to the goods trade. Over time, these arrangements have the potential to streamline procedures for conformity assessment. The next step will be to determine priority products or issues to be tackled under a first stage work programme.
Working Holiday Programme
The New Zealand working holiday programme for 2010 will open for application from 1 June. All applications will need to be made online this year. Further information is available on: www.nzvisa.org.tw/workingholiday.htm
“Borderless World” TV Features
A TV crew from “The Borderless World” programme visited New Zealand, 22-30 March, to film a feature covering New Zealand business, tourism and lifestyle. Following the visit, two feature programmes will be made. The first of these two programmes - covering aspects of New Zealand’s education system, culture, energy and several interesting business stories - will broadcast on Saturday 1 May (with two re-broadcasts on Sunday 9 May). A second programme, featuring aspects of New Zealand’s creative industry, high tech industry and food and beverage, will screen subsequently.
2010 World Indigenous Broadcasters Network Conference
Taiwan Indigenous Television and Public Television Service jointly hosted the biennial World Indigenous Television Broadcasters’ Network (WITBN) conference in Taitung, 9-12 March. The theme of the conference was “Challenges for indigenous television broadcasters in the digital age”. The initiative was well supported by Taitung County, the Council of Indigenous Peoples, senior academics and the local community. WITBN achievements since 2008 (under the chairmanship of Maori Television) were highlighted during the conference: particularly the establishment of a WITBN website and brand; and the cost savings achieved through programme pooling and staff exchange projects. Digital convergence remains a common WITBN goal for the future. The Maori Television delegation was led by CEO Jim Mather. Larry Parr and Te Ripowai Higgins from Te Mangai Paaho also participated. The next WITBN conference will be hosted by NRK Sami Radio (Norway) in March 2012.
Education New Zealand PACE Seminars
Sixteen New Zealand schools, universities and technical institutes were represented on this year’s annual Education New Zealand/New Zealand Trade Development Centre organised Promotional Activity Calendar for Education (PACE) seminars, held in Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taichung, 27-30 March. The participation rate by Taiwanese education agents, as well as attendance by prospective students at the two public sessions, was noticeably higher than in 2009. In an introductory briefing for the New Zealand institutions taking part in the PACE seminars, the Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations (BICER) explained the new programmes available under its expanded initiative to promote overseas education exchange introduced in 2009 – the “Secondary School Exchange International” (SSEI) programme. More detailed information on the SSEI programme is available on the following website:www.exchange.edu.tw.
University Links
Representatives from Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University made separate visits to Taiwan at the end of March. Dr Neil Quigley, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Victoria University made a first visit, 27-31 March, to hold discussions about possible cooperation with institutions in Taipei, Hsinchu and Tainan. Manager, International Marketing and Recruitment at Massey, Linda Oostenrijk, visited 30-31 March, to develop further links with education agents and explore interest in agricultural study tours to New Zealand.
Science and Research Cooperation
The project managers working on research collaboration between the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and New Zealand’s IRL in the area of assistive devices continue to report good progress from work undertaken during March, including in the conduct of clinical trials. Both sides are now looking at issues such as patenting, co-production and marketing; as well as giving consideration to other possible areas for collaboration, e.g. in energy. The success of the ITRI/IRL collaboration has been welcomed by Taiwanese funding agencies and has been held up as a good model for others to look at emulating.
New Zealand Artists-in-Residence at Taipei Artists Village
Two New Zealand artists – Mary-Louise Browne and Andy Leleisi’uao – took part in the Taipei Artists Village Artists-in-Residence (AiR) 2010 programme during February and March. Mary-Louise Browne participated as part of a regular annual artists exchange with Auckland’s Unitec; while Andy Leleisi’uao was supported under the Asia:New Zealand Foundation artists exchange programme. Both artists exhibited their works in the AiR “Spring Open Studios and Group Exhibition” held in Taipei and Yangmingshan over the weekend of 20-21 March.
