On the afternoon of March 25, President Ma Ying-jeou met with a delegation led by former Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi. In addition to extending a cordial welcome to Mr. Terzi on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, the president expressed hope that the European Union (EU) will negotiate and sign an economic cooperation agreement (ECA) or bilateral investment agreement (BIA) with the ROC as soon as possible to enhance the bilateral economic and trade relationship.
In remarks, the president stated that Mr. Terzi has extensive experience in diplomacy, having served as Italy's foreign minister, ambassador to the United States, and permanent representative to the United Nations in New York. During his tenure as foreign minister he personally wrote back to the chairman of the Italy-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group to express his support for the signing of an ECA between Taiwan and the EU. The president commented that it was an extremely friendly gesture toward Taiwan. Accompanying Mr. Terzi was Foundation Farefuturo (Fondazione Farefuturo) President Adolfo Urso, who previously served five terms in the Chamber of Deputies. He also served as deputy minister for productive activities and deputy minister for economic development, giving him a comprehensive background in the political arena. This visit to Taiwan by Mr. Terzi and Mr. Urso is extremely significant in enhancing friendly relations between the ROC and Italy, President Ma said.
President Ma stated that while the ROC and Italy do not have diplomatic relations, the two countries maintain frequent interaction in economics and trade, science and technology, education, as well as arts and culture, with much to show for these exchanges. In the area of economics and trade for example, Italy is the ROC's fifth largest trading partner in Europe, with bilateral trade last year amounting to roughly US$4.1 billion. The ROC currently has invested in nearly 60 enterprises in Italy, with investments valued at almost US$650 million. Meanwhile, Italy's Finmeccanica Group in 2009 won a US$530 million contract for the Taipei Metro system. Officials from Italy's Ministry of Economic Development in 2013 led a delegation to Taiwan to promote Italian wine, with 30 companies participating in promotional events. This highlights the increasingly lively trade between the two countries, the president said.
The president stated that in November of last year the ROC and Italian governments jointly promoted legal amendments to forge a long-awaited agreement that avoids double taxation between the two countries. The amendments have been approved by the Italian Senate and are currently being reviewed by the Chamber of Deputies. This agreement, the president said, will have enormous benefits in promoting bilateral trade and investment relations.
As for interaction in science, technology, and education, the president mentioned that the ROC's Ministry of Science and Technology and the Italian National Research Council in 2011 signed another four-year "Agreement on Scientific Cooperation," under which both sides will provide financial assistance to selected research projects and will hold research seminars. In February of this year, the ROC sent a delegation to Rome to attend the Taiwan-Italy Bilateral Workshop on Smart City, in which they explored with their Italian counterparts related technology, research achievements, and future directions for possible cooperation. In addition, the ROC's Ministry of Education (MOE) and Third University of Rome in 2011 signed a Letter of Intent on the Designation of Taiwan Academy Contact Points and Bilateral Cooperation, followed by the signing in 2013 of a memorandum of cooperation on the Taiwan Studies Project. These developments are testament to the increased frequency of interaction between the two countries in this area, the president said.
Turning to the topic of economic and trade liberalization, President Ma noted that the government is actively pursuing entry into regional economic integration mechanisms to boost Taiwan's competitiveness. Therefore, Taiwan in 2010 signed the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement; in 2011 the Taiwan-Japan Bilateral Investment Arrangement; and in 2013 the ANZTEC economic cooperation agreement with New Zealand and the ASTEP economic partnership agreement with Singapore. All of these agreements have quickened the pace of the ROC's economic and trade liberalization, he said. The president added that three years ago the ROC and the United States resumed negotiations under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement. The government hopes that all these efforts will enable Taiwan to move closer to gaining participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, becoming a full-fledged, important member of regional economic integration.
The president also remarked that the European Parliament in October 2013 adopted a resolution on EU-Taiwan trade relations, urging the European Commission to begin talks with Taiwan on an agreement on investment protection and market access. Mr. Terzi also previously expressed his support for the signing of an ECA between Taiwan and the EU. The president cited the strong reception in the Taiwan market of pork exported from France as an example, saying that while Europe and Taiwan are geographically quite far apart, pork products from Europe actually have a competitive advantage here in light of the ROC government's ban on imports of pork that contain the feed additive ractopamine. Consequently, the ROC is looking forward to negotiating and signing an ECA or BIA with the EU, which would enhance the bilateral economic and trade relationship, the president said.
The EU, President Ma commented, not only has provided ROC nationals with visa-free courtesies, but has also expressed support for Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly, to become a party to the Agreement on Government Procurement, and to take part in the International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO). It has taken three or four decades for the ROC to be invited to take part in these bodies again since it lost its representation in the United Nations, and the president remarked that these developments are extremely significant. He also hopes that the EU in the future will be able to continue to support expanded participation for Taiwan in ICAO and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which would enable the ROC to contribute to the international community.
The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Italian Economic, Trade and Cultural Promotion Office Representative Donato Scioscioli to meet with President Ma.