December 28, 2004
The Taiwan-Alaska Trade and Investment Cooperation Council held its first formal meeting in Taipei on December 13. Formed during Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski's September visit to Taipei, the council is designed to boost trade between private enterprises in Taiwan and Alaska in the areas of seafood, energy and minerals, forest products and tourism. At the meeting, the two sides finalized a coal procurement agreement and held group discussions looking at opportunities for cooperation in forestry and aquaculture.
Chairman of Taiwan's Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce M. H. Huang along with Minister without Portfolio Lin Yi-fu (Minister of Economic Affairs from 2002 to 2004) are the co-chairpeople for the Taiwan side, while Mike Barry, chairperson of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, heads the Alaskan delegation to the council.
Described by Lin Yi-fu as semi-official, the council brings together public and private sector representatives from Taiwan and Alaska.
With the signing of the coal deal, it is no coincidence that the meeting was conducted at Taiwan Power Co. In fulfilling its duty to keep the lights on and factories running, the state-run utility company has become the nation's largest importer of coal. Trade analysts estimate that the power company could use up to 4 million tons of coal yearly.
Council chairperson Huang, citing Alaska's vast coal and oil reserves and its relative proximity to Taiwan, said Alaska can be an alternative energy source for Taiwan. This would reduce Taiwan's current dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
Taiwan ranked as Alaska's 14th largest export market in 2003, and, from January to August, exports from Alaska have increased 17% on the year. Alaskan exports to Taiwan totaled
USD 18 million in 2003.
(Central News Agency, Alaska Journal of Commerce)
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