FOCUS TAIWAN
Event Summary
RENEWED INTEREST
Empowering Our Exporters Through Opportunities in Taiwan
There’s renewed interest in Taiwan as an export market for New Zealand companies, as the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic. This was evident in the turn out we received to our first event since our re-launch this year.
With the ten year anniversary of the New Zealand-Taiwan free trade agreement ANZTEC coming up next year, the message from the conference to companies thinking of doing business with Taiwan was choose Taiwan, you won’t regret it.
NEW LEARNINGS
Sharing of key information
A conference in Auckland was held to provide information and inspiration to New Zealand businesses interested in doing trade with the self-governing, democratic island which is New Zealand’s sixth biggest trading partner for goods, beating out the likes of the UK and Canada, Thailand etc.
NEW PARTNERSHIPS
NZTBC and TBANZ
Focus Taiwan was run by the New Zealand Taiwan Business Council (NZTBC) and the Taiwanese Business Association (TBANZ) with input from NZTE and Export NZ.
OFFICIAL UPDATES
From TECO and NZTE
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE TAIPEI ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL OFFICE IN AUCKLAND - KENDRA CHEN
The Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Auckland -TECO, Kendra Chen, said Taiwan has economic growth of 6.45% in 2021, ranked first among the Four Asian Tigers, and is the seventh most competitive country in the world. With a population of 23.5 million, similar to Australia, the island is located on the busiest shipping route in the region and is the world’s biggest supplier of semi-conductors for computers, phones and other electronic devices. She further introduced Taiwan's economic priority of the Six Core Strategic Industries, New Southbound Policy, and joining the CPTPP, that would also provide many business opportunities to New Zealand. Evidences include Taiwan relies heavily in imported agriculture products and would like to develop further on renewable energy.
ECONOMIC DIRECTOR FROM THE TAIPEI ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL OFFICE - HOWARD SONG
Economic Director from the TECO office, Howard Song, highlighted opportunities for New Zealander, especially around beverages. He said Taiwan is well-known for its superior manufacturing capabilities especially in the information and communication Technology sectors, but there is also a growing market centered around day to day product like coffee. He said on average, Taiwanese drink 200 cups of coffee each a year and half are lattes – an opportunity for the world’s largest producer of milk!
But more importantly, forward-looking areas like electric vehicles, clean energy, trade in secondary education embedded in the ANZTEC deserve more attention from New Zealanders. Taiwan is a mature market economy that demonstrates a pattern of complying trade commitments, meets with high international standards, and offers meaningful market opportunities. New Zealanders should not only focus and look, but CHOOSE Taiwan to do business, to expand commercial presence, and to enter into a partnership for a more comprehensive and progressive trade and investment.
DIRECTOR OF TRADE FOR NEW ZEALAND BASED IN TAIWAN - TINA WILSON
Director of Trade for New Zealand based in Taiwan, Tina Wilson zoomed in from Taipei to share the word about trade with Taiwan. Opportunities in health, education and traditional goods were a few aspects of our our trading relationship with Taiwan that were covered. She closed out her presentation by saying that the people of Taiwan are extremely resilient, subsequently making great trading partners.
NZ BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN TAIWAN
The Apple Press | Boring Oat Milk |
NRG Supplements | NZ Bio Forestry
SALLY GALLAGHER | THE APPLE PRESS AND BORING OAT MILK
The conference heard from three New Zealand companies’ experience of doing business in Taiwan. Sally Gallagher, a co-founder of apple juice manufacturer, The Apple Press and Boring Oat Milk in Hawke’s Bay said her company’s strategy was to go big and one of its first forays into exporting was through Costco Japan.
She said that while the partnership with the American multi-national giant allowed for a smooth transition into Taiwan, The Apple Press still needed global accreditation which took several months. She said marketing her product through sampling has been an important part of its success in Taiwan.
RACHELLE TAPARA | NRG SUPPLEMENTS
Rachelle Tapara from pet supplement and food manufacturer NRG Supplements described her experience of breaking into the Taiwan market. She said building and keeping contacts was key and she sees many opportunities ahead as more people own companion animals.
Sally and Rachelle said it had been business as usual for their companies dealing with Taiwan distributors during the pandemic and they are looking forward to travelling to Taiwan now that COVID restrictions have been eased.
WAYNE MULLIGAN | NZ BIO FORESTRY
The CEO of New Zealand Bio Forestry Ltd Wayne Mulligan described how his business involves taking sugars out of wood-waste and converting them into chemicals that can be used in various products, including semi-conductors, helping the industry to go green by 2030. His company was founded on a partnership with Taiwan and has been in Taiwan for several years.